The World Through The Eyes Of A Muggle Born II
by notbang
Summary: See part one.
1. Unless You Stand Together

~*~ Unless You Stand Together ~*~  
  
~If one man alone  
  
~Can accomplish great feats  
  
~What can be said for two?  
  
~And if those two men  
  
~Were joined by another  
  
~Who knows what they could do?  
  
~So on our own  
  
~We could be so great  
  
~And our legend may last forever  
  
~But just begin to imagine  
  
~How many would live on  
  
~If everyone worked together  
  
As I have said, my summer was great. My birthday was my best yet, and I was truly content - something I hadn't been for awhile. The whole mood was destroyed once I got on that train on September first.  
  
I had known something was wrong right away, once I had seen the looks on everyone's faces. I knew they knew something I didn't. Anxious to know what was wrong, I made my way up the train to find the compartment where Bella and Hilary were sitting. When I found it, James, Sirius and April were there too.  
  
'Guys, what's going on?' I asked, putting my stuff down. Bella was stony faced. Hilary's eyes were red, and I could tell she had been crying. Storm Shadow sensed her distress and leapt up on her lap in what he must have thought was a comforting way, while Firregaze rubbed up against her legs, a fox.  
  
'There were a heap of attacks last night,' James said quietly. 'Followers of dark magic. Heaps of people dead.'  
  
I didn't know what to say. Why was Hilary upset? Had their parents... ?  
  
'Who?' I asked, my voice quivering.  
  
'April and Bella's dads...' Hilary whispered. 'Oh gods, no...' I said in a pained voice, looking at Bella. She nodded, and a single tear slid down her cheek. I held out my arms and she hugged me tight, tears beginning to fall.  
  
The door slid open slowly, and I looked up, my arms still around Bella. It was Gray. 'Hi,' I said softly, tears in my own eyes.  
  
'Hi,' he replied. His eyes were red, too, and got the feeling that he had lost someone as well. His eyes wandered to James's, and I could see them struggling to come to an understanding. They didn't like each other, but they had both suffered loss, and it was no time for arguing.  
  
'Why did you all come to school still? Wouldn't you stay home?' I asked.  
  
'There's no point, Lily,' Gray said. 'We have to face everyone sometime, and there's quite a few people that have been through the same thing. Besides, the Ministry's trying to cover it all up.'  
  
'Why?'  
  
'Because he's a stupid git,' Sirius said, fists clenched. 'Dark wizards killed my parents six years ago. They're getting worse, the attacks. And they aren't doing anything about it. The Aurors are being killed off like flies, and they don't care.'  
  
'Our dads were Aurors,' April said quietly.  
  
'Mine too,' said Gray.  
  
There was a heavy silence.  
  
'In a way, you're lucky, Lily. It's hard being a muggle born, but at least you're away from all this,' James said eventually.  
  
'Half our family's gone,' Hilary said bitterly. 'It's practically Potter tradition to become an Auror. All of them that went to help last night, they were killed. Twenty-six of them. All dead, except for one.'  
  
'Who?' I asked, as Bella wiped her eyes and straightened up. Gray came and sat next to me. Without meaning to, I took his hand. He gave it a little squeeze.  
  
'Moody. But he's pretty messed up,' April said.  
  
I leaned my head on Gray's shoulder.  
  
'I'm sorry,' I whispered.  
  
'It's the way he would have wanted to go, though. Out fighting.'  
  
Bella and April nodded their agreement.  
  
'You know, I feel kind of guilty saying this,' James said. 'But when I heard, I wished that it had been our dad out there fighting.' He swallowed, and we all looked at him.  
  
'Not necessarily because I want him dead, but because he does nothing. I wanted him to be out there helping, not hiding us all away like he does. Because it feels wrong to have that protection when no one else does. It's unfair.'  
  
Hilary nodded.  
  
'I know what you mean. Sometimes it feels like he's not really protecting us, but his bank account and his business. And when someone dies, it's just another ditch in the road for him. He just moves past it like that.' She clicked her fingers.  
  
'Why do people do this?' I asked, out of the blue. 'Take lives for fun?'  
  
'Because it's a sick world, Lily,' James said, standing up. 'A sick world full of sick people that don't care about anything that really matters in life.'  
  
And I don't think I could have put it better myself.  
  
* * *  
  
There was a rather subdued atmosphere in the Great Hall that night. Nearly everyone had known someone that had been killed our attacked. The first years lacked the usual nervous chatter as they waited anxiously to be Sorted. McGonagall came out with the hat and placed it on its three-legged stool and stepped back over to wait with the first years as the hat opened its mouth in song.  
  
'A hat may be a hat,  
  
It's very plain for most to see  
  
But I bet your bottom dollar  
  
There's not one smarter than me.  
  
I know things others don't  
  
I remember what others forget  
  
Take note of what I tell you,  
  
As it could be useful yet.  
  
T'was four who built the Hogwarts school  
  
And taught the lesson to be learnt  
  
So when danger faces the school again  
  
Those four founders shall return.  
  
Two by mother, two by sire  
  
First borns, fierce and strong  
  
And these four shall come together  
  
In their struggle to belong.  
  
Your future does lie in their grasp  
  
Although their destiny may seem small  
  
And through their friendship and their love  
  
They will somehow save us all.  
  
Though all shall perish in saving lives  
  
Their hearts will forever remain  
  
And as the original founders four  
  
Shall someday rise again  
  
So four; now you know your fate  
  
Please don't begin to fear  
  
Our lives now rest within your hands  
  
As times of darkness are so near  
  
And Hogwarts students, promise me this  
  
That you'll listen and take heed  
  
The only way to conquer Is to unite in your time of need.  
  
As dark times are approaching  
  
This is a warning to you all;  
  
Unless you stand together  
  
Divided you shall fall.  
  
Everyone remained silent for a minute or so following the song. James was one of the first to break it.  
  
'Fess up, Sirius. We all know you're hiding Salazar Slytherin under your robes,' he said. Sirius looked scandalized.  
  
'How did you know?'  
  
A few people laughed, and a nervous chatter filled the room only to be hushed a minute later by McGonagall.  
  
'When I call your name, you will go up to the stool and place the hat on your head so you can be sorted.'  
  
Quite a few of the first years looked at her dubiously, and I knew exactly what was running through their minds. The hat sang - what next? And of course they all seemed rather shaken from what the song had suggested, on top of the uneasiness from the previous night's attacks. All in all, it wasn't a very cheerful sorting.  
  
Conversation during dinner was very subdued. I was halfway through eating my roast pork in silence while listening to James and Sirius's fooling when I happened to look up and meet Paige's eyes. She had wormed her way back to popularity surprisingly quickly - I think her encounter with James and the love potion had somehow only added to her fame, which annoyed me to no attend. But at dinner that night, something was different about her when she met my eyes. There was more than just strong dislike in her gaze. It was hatred. Pure enmity. For the brief moment that we looked at each other, time seemed to stop. I took in everything: her long, fake red nails; her lashes, heavy with mascara; her blood red lips and her perfectly white teeth. And I began to wonder. If we couldn't even have a little inter-house respect, what chance did we have of standing together? I came to the conclusion that the sorting hat really was asking quite a lot, and I didn't like its chances.  
  
'Lily, earth to Lily,' James called, waving his hand energetically in front of my face. I turned to look at him and smiled.  
  
'What?'  
  
'Who were you looking at?' he asked.  
  
'Noone,' I lied. He narrowed his eyes and looked over to where my attention had been a moment before.  
  
'Marc, huh? Lily likes Marc when she has a boyfriend?' 'God no,' I laughed.  
  
'What's his name? Waterhouse. Lily Waterhouse... nope, doesn't sound right,' James said, shaking his head.  
  
'What, and Lily Potter does?' Hilary interrupted with a raised eyebrow.  
  
'Mm-hmm,' Sirius supplied.  
  
'You want to know what sounds even better? Lily Evans!' I said with fake enthusiasm.  
  
'Better than Lily Parkson, I suppose,' James grumbled.  
  
'What don't you like about him?' I laughed softly, tossing my head back to get my hair out of my face. I glanced at Gray. He was sitting further up the table, talking to Rhys.  
  
'Gray? He's annoying, isn't he?' asked Kelsey, who was sitting at my right. I looked to my left at Bella. She hadn't spoken all evening. I turned back to Kelsey and James.  
  
'He just knows how to have fun. He's never gone too far.'  
  
Kelsey raised an eyebrow amusedly.  
  
'If you say so. But in my opinion he's gone too far plenty of times.'  
  
'I don't know why I don't like him. Something about him annoys me. Not so much what he does, just him in general,' James said, shrugging. Sirius left his conversation with Remus a second time to add his bit to ours.  
  
'Two reasons, Jamsie boy. One, you might just have a competitor in pranking. Two, he's got your girl.'  
  
'My girl?' James asked, cocking his brow.  
  
'Yeah. Her,' Sirius said, pointing to me. I rolled my eyes.  
  
'Lily doesn't belong to anybody,' James said, and rather wisely at that. If there was one thing I didn't like, it was people thinking they owned me.  
  
'But she is your girl, James. Not in the boyfriend-girlfriend way, but yours nonetheless. If she did belong to anyone, it would be you,' Hilary said thoughtfully. James grinned.  
  
'Isn't it up to Lily who's girl she is?'  
  
'Yup. And I'm all yours, Jamsie,' I said, fluttering my eyelashes at him in jest. I saw Bella smile out of the corner of my eye. I think James noticed too, because we both seemed to sense that now was a good time for another episode of 'The Homey Touches Show', as we had decided to name it after that incident with Hilary.  
  
'All mine?' he asked.  
  
'Wouldn't have it any other way,' I said dramatically, lowering my head so I was looking at him from under my lashes. Then I put on sudden expression of distress.  
  
'But what about Gray?' I asked quietly in horror.  
  
'I shall have to dispose of him,' James said, folding his arms.  
  
'Oh no! You won't be too horrible, will you?'  
  
'Not anymore than I need be. Then we shall elope to the Library.'  
  
'The Library?' I asked dubiously.  
  
'And there I shall torment you until I wear down your resistance towards me,' he said with a smirk. 'I have no choice but to use my last resort.'  
  
I gasped.  
  
'What?' I asked, trying to sound fearful.  
  
'I'm going to make you scream so hard you -'  
  
'Sorry James, but I don't want to sleep with you,' I interrupted wryly, raising an eyebrow.  
  
'Damn,' James cursed. 'There goes plan A. I'll have to move on to the next girl.'  
  
'Speaking of, then - how about Ms. Hooker over there?' Sirius asked, pointing out a seventh year Ravenclaw with rather tight-fitting robes.  
  
As licentious as her clothes were, I didn't exactly want to give James and Sirius the chance to allow their hormones to dominate the conversation.  
  
'Well, you know what, James Potter?' I asked as seriously as I could. 'I think you look like a hooker.'  
  
James immediately smiled suggestively at me and fluttered his eyelashes.  
  
'Hi, Lily,' he said in a oiled tone.  
  
'James Potter, are you trying to seduce me?' I asked suspiciously.  
  
'As sure as hell is hot,' he replied.  
  
'What are you charging for the night?' I asked, laughing.  
  
'For you? Cheap. I'll swap you your robes,' he said, smirking. Sirius snorted.  
  
'Oh yes, they're going off cheap tonight. I'm almost tempted.'  
  
James shot him a disgusted look.  
  
'I wasn't offering myself to you. I was asking Lily. Besides, you do realise that makes you gay, don't you?'  
  
'Geez, Sirius. You could have told me before we got involved,' Bella said, pretending to be angry. I was glad she had cheered up enough to join in the conversation.  
  
'What horror, discovering your boyfriend's gay,' Hilary said.  
  
'Who's gay?' Kelsey asked.  
  
'Sirius,' we all said, at the same time Sirius said, 'James'.  
  
'Right,' she said, raising an eyebrow in an oh-my-god-what-weirdos manner. 'I think I'll leave you guys to your oh-so-interesting discussion.'  
  
'Thanks ever so,' James told her.  
  
'James, did you just use manners?' I asked, pretending to be shocked. James scowled.  
  
'If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's most probably a duck,' was his retort.  
  
'If not, three out of three isn't too bad,' Sirius offered, and Bella laughed. He beamed.  
  
'Feel special just because you made me smile, huh?' she asked. He grinned charmingly at her.  
  
By now, everyone had finished eating. A Prefect stood near the end of the table and announced it was time to go up to Gryffindor Tower. The first years all stood to scuttle off after him. I stood and waited for Bella, talking to James while she quickly re-tied her hair, as her elastic had come undone. Before she had finished. Gray was at my shoulder.  
  
'Have a nice conversation with the guys?' he asked quietly.  
  
'Gray!' I said, slightly surprised.  
  
'That's my name,' he said.  
  
Bella stood up.  
  
'Ready to go, guys?' she asked softly, her voice still shaky and small. I nodded and we made to leave. I walked next to Bella, and Gray soon fell into step beside me.  
  
'Lily, do you like James?' he asked me after a minute or so of silence. I raised my eyebrow at him, a gesture that had been made a lot that evening.  
  
'Gray, he's one of my best friends. Of course I like him.'  
  
'But not in any other way?'  
  
'No,' I said, frowning. 'Not in any other way.'  
  
'Why do you spend so much time with the third years? You spend more time with James and his friends than you do with the other girls in your dorm.'  
  
'Gray, stop being a jealous git,' Bella growled. I looked at her in shock.  
  
'Lily and James are just friends. And we spend time with the guys because we like them. We know them a lot better than you and we are friends with them. But you can drop it right now because Lily doesn't like James. If she did, they would be going out by now and she would not have said yes to going out with you.' There was finality in her voice, and Gray dropped the subject.  
  
'Sorry, but I'm edgy today,' he said, frowning. 'I'll see you later, OK?'  
  
We had nearly reached Gryffindor Tower. I nodded. We both paused, and there was an awkward moment before we hugged. Gray moved off to find his friends.  
  
'He doesn't even care,' Bella said quietly, her voice rather fierce.  
  
'Care about what?' I asked as we waited in line to climb through the Portrait Hole.  
  
'About his dad dying.'  
  
That was not the answer I had been expecting.  
  
'He just has a different way of dealing with it,' I said, sort of defensively.  
  
Bella made no more comment on the matter.  
  
* * *  
  
That night, the tension was so thick in the dormitory that you could cut it with a knife. Dimness had swept over most of Gryffindor Tower like a wave sweeping over a beach. If someone hadn't lost someone the night before then they were pondering the matter, or thinking about the Sorting Hat's song. It had gotten to the point where making the slightest rustle of a blanket felt like a crime, and I couldn't stand it anymore. Ignoring the glares I knew everyone would be shooting at the ceiling, I hopped out of bed and slipped downstairs into the Common Room, taking my glasses and a book with me.  
  
And who was I to meet down there, but James Potter himself.  
  
'Why, what brings you out past your bed time, Jamsie boy?' I asked, sitting next to him on the couch.  
  
'Hello, Lily,' he said cheerfully. 'I was just escaping an argument between Sirius and Remus. Yourself?'  
  
'The tension in there is so thick I couldn't breath,' I said, rolling my eyes. 'It was driving me nuts.'  
  
I turned to lean my back against the arm of the couch then lay my feet in James's lap. I put on my glasses to proceed to read when he interrupted me.  
  
'Are you quite alright?'  
  
'Yes, fine thank you,' I said, smiling sweetly at him. He raised an eyebrow.  
  
'I'm glad you're comfortable,' he said.  
  
'So am I,' I said, and returned to my book. I could feel James watching me.  
  
'What?' I asked.  
  
'Did I say something?' he replied innocently.  
  
'Didn't have to,' I grumbled, my gaze dropping to my book again. Then James started tickling my feet.  
  
'Stop,' I said, stifling laughter.  
  
'No, it's OK. You carry on reading while I amuse myself,' he said, playing with my toes. 'James, I cannot read while you are... doing things to my feet.'  
  
'Doing things to your feet, huh?' he echoed with amusement.  
  
'Stop,' I said, smiling.  
  
'You like it,' he observed.  
  
'No I don't!' I said. 'It just tickles!'  
  
When James didn't stop, I kicked him. He scowled and grabbed my legs and pulled me off the couch.  
  
'Ow!' I said as I thumped to the floor.  
  
'Oops,' James replied innocently. Too innocently.  
  
'Come here, Potter,' I said, grabbing his ankle.  
  
'You have a tight grip,' he commented.  
  
'Thanks,' I said, yanking hard. He stumbled, and I yanked again so he fell. On top of me.  
  
'Oof,' he said.  
  
'Ditto,' I grinned, rolling over to get up, but James pinned me down.  
  
'Get off,' I said.  
  
'Nope, sorry Foxy.' He grabbed my wrist, but I rolled us over before sitting on his stomach.  
  
'Foxy?' I queried, eyebrow raised.  
  
'Mm-hmm. Foxy by nature and foxy by -'  
  
'Having fun?'  
  
My head snapped up. Gray was leaning against the doorframe at the bottom of the stairs, and I could tell he had been doing so for awhile.  
  
'Hello,' I said. 'Can't you sleep?'  
  
'What do you think?' he asked, straightening up. He walked over and sat on the arm of the couch that James and I had been sitting on minutes before. I swung a leg over James's stomach so I was no longer astride him but with both legs on the one side.  
  
'Oh. Stupid question,' I said meekly.  
  
'It's all right,' he said, still eyeing me and James.  
  
I wasn't about to spring away from James, because that would make it look as if something had been going on. By remaining still casually sitting on him I was hoping Gray would understand that it was pure friendship-based fun. Although I was thinking that what James had been about to say didn't help the situation.  
  
I slid down a little until my backside was on the floor and I was just leaning against him.  
  
'Bella can't sleep, either. Or anyone else in my dorm, for that matter.'  
  
Gray was looking at James, and I think he felt that it was his turn to say something, because he said, 'I couldn't sleep if I wanted to. Sirius and Remus are fighting.' Gray nodded.  
  
'Don't you have a girlfriend, Potter?'  
  
'So?' James asked coolly.  
  
'So, I don't care, whatever floats your boat. But I don't think I'd be calling another girl foxy while I had another girlfriend.'  
  
'I'm glad you don't,' I said, amusedly.  
  
'Yeah, well - maybe it does float my boat,' James said, sitting up. I leaned forward while he did so, then leaned back against his knees once he had gotten comfortable. I winced to myself, knowing what was coming.  
  
'She has a boyfriend,' Gray said bluntly.  
  
'She is the cat's mother,' James replied.  
  
'And the cat's mother might not have a boyfriend for much longer unless he gives her best friend a break,' I interrupted before they could begin arguing. 'Listen, Gray. I know that coming down stairs in the evening and finding your girlfriend alone with a guy in the Common Room isn't a great situation for you, but since the guy turns out to be her best friend, I think you can relax. You just have to trust me. And I'm going to make it clear right now: us going out isn't going to affect the relationships between me and my friends. I'm sorry, but my friends come first.'  
  
Gray watched me a minute before nodding.  
  
'Just as long as friendship remains as friendship, I don't mind. But don't expect me not to get a little annoyed when...' he trailed off and gestured at us. I nodded.  
  
'Deal.'  
  
'I'm going back up to bed,' he said, with a lingering glance at me.  
  
'Night,' I said softly. When he had disappeared, I turned to glare at James.  
  
'Don't deliberately annoy him. Especially since his dad's just died.' 'I tried to be nice,' James said, frowning. After a minute or so of silence, he stood. 'I'm going to bed.'  
  
'I'll stay,' I said, not looking up at him.  
  
'Goodnight,' he said, starting up the stairs.  
  
'Goodnight.'  
  
* * *  
  
'Lily, can I ask you something?' asked Reilly, sitting next to me on the couch the next morning. We were amongst the few that were awake; it was around six o'clock, and not many had slept well that night. I myself had spent the night on the couch.  
  
'Yeah?'  
  
'Do you like James Potter?'  
  
'Yes,' I said, rolling my eyes.  
  
'You do? Like -'  
  
'As a friend,' I interrupted.  
  
'Oh. It's just you and him... and you know how you're going out with Gray...'  
  
So this was what this was about. I suddenly remembered that Reilly had a crush on Gray.  
  
'Only a fool would cheat on Gray Parkson, and I am not one. God knows if I did I'd be annoyed senseless for the rest of my life. He's not one to have on your off side,' I said firmly. 'But if things don't work out, I'll put in a good word for you.'  
  
Reilly blushed.  
  
'I don't like him -'  
  
'I'm going to be funny here and say what everyone else would say in a time like this. That's about as true as James Potter and Lily Evans not being in love with each other,' I said dryly. It had become an annoyingly popular phrase around the school lately.  
  
Reilly laughed.  
  
'OK then, you caught me out. And I trust you - so don't tell anyone, please.'  
  
'My lips are sealed.'  
  
'Thank you. Well... I'm going to go for a run,' she said. 'See you around.'  
  
'Bye,' I said.  
  
I was thinking how amusing Reilly's little crush was. She seemed the tomboy type to me, a girl not interested in boys. But then again, you learn something new everyday.  
  
It was about five minutes later that Bella came downstairs.  
  
'I was wondering where you went last night. You didn't come back,' she said quietly.  
  
'And I was wondering how you slept.'  
  
'Not too good,' she admitted, and I could see it was true. Her face was pale and she had rings under her eyes. I remembered what Reilly had once told me when I had asked her why she ran everyday. She had told me that it cleared your mind. You had nothing to live up to out there.  
  
'Bella, this may seem crazy, but do you want to go for a run?'  
  
She looked at me, no surprise in her eyes as I had expected, and nodded her head.  
  
'Okay.'  
  
*~*~*~*~  
  
Hi! Everyone find the new story alright?  
  
Well, nothing to say at the moment. Hope you liked the chappie!  
  
Byes,  
  
SezZie  
  
Oh yeah...........like my song? YEH WELL U BETTER! Lol. Took me long enough. And that's what our plot shall revolve around this year.  
  
Well toodles for the second time! 


	2. James And His Death

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ James And His Death ~*~

_~Just thought I'd tell you_

_~Exactly how I _

_~Feel about you_

_~Not quite sure myself_

_~But if I_

_~Were to lose you_

_~Don't know how_

_~But I'd live_

_~Because your heart_

_~Has touched me_

_~And I know you'll_

_~Always be with me and you'll_

_~Always keep me alive_

Being back at school was nice, despite the gloomy mood that had hung over the castle since we arrived. But now people were moving on, and the staidness was slowly ebbing, things were beginning to return to normal. 

Our first lesson on a Tuesday was Charms. This was my favourite subject. It was also Gray's, but for a completely different reason. 

Flitwick's idea of dealing with trouble seemed to be that if you ignore it long enough, it will go away. So for Gray, Charms equaled free period. 

Speaking of dealing with trouble, Gray's way to deal with his dad's death was to be more annoying than ever. This didn't please the teachers, but he did get somewhat of a free rein, as they found his tragic little sob story quite heart-wrenching.

'Mr Parkson, please refrain from disturbing my class,' Flitwick sighed without even turning around. He knew it was Gray without looking. Every disturbance was Gray's doing these days.

Today, Gray was leaning casually back his chair, feet up on the desk.

'Yessir,' he said, saluting Flitwick's back. He had an arrogant look on his face, and I could tell it was not one of his good days.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as he reached into his bag and pulled out a hexshooter. I closed my eyes and took a breath. 

Why did he have to be this way?

I saw Bella watching Gray with amusement, not bothering to be subtle about her staring. I observed with a sudden surge of curiosity. He tore off a corner of parchment, rolled it into a small ball and held it to his wand, whispering something at it. The ball glowed slightly with light before dimming to its original colour. Gray placed it in his hexshooter and aimed right at Toni's back, since she was the only person actually paying attention to FLitwick by then. I winced as he blew into it and the ball hit her square in the back of the neck. Toni jumped in shock at the small explosion of fireworks. Then in a poof of smoke, she was gone. In her place was a small, black rabbit. At the squeals of laughter and shock, Flitwick turned slowly around, hand still raised holding the chalk, to face the class.

Half the class was howling with laughter. The other half were staring in disbelief at Toni the bunny.

Flitwick, still somehow remaining cool, completely overlooked Gray and turned to me.  

'Miss Evans, would you mind escorting Miss Baker to Professor McGonagall? I do believe she needs to be transfigured back, and I'm rather hopeless at it myself.'

'Yes, Professor,' I said, standing up and walking over to pick up Toni. I couldn't hide my smile when I walked past Gray.

I knocked tentatively on the door to the Transfiguration classroom, trying to keep a hold on the wriggling rabbit. I noticed Sirius sitting up the front of the room and caught his eye. He grinned and gestured back over his head. I followed his motion to where James was. He hadn't seen me, though, he had his eyes down on his paper. I grinned.

'Yes, Miss Evans?' asked Professor Celesta, the young witch who normally taught astronomy.

'I was wondering if Professor McGonagall was here?'

'Your transfiguration teacher is ill, I'm afraid. Can I help you?'

By now James had looked up and was eyeing me with curiosity. I smiled at him, and he returned it.

'Er, Toni has been transfigured into a rabbit,' I said, holding out Toni, who was still struggling in my grip. Celesta's eyes widened a little.

'I see. However, I'm afraid that I am not very skilled in Transfiguration, myself.'

Gods, it was one of the compulsory branches of magic. You would think that a few more teachers would know how to transfigure a student back to her original form.

I nodded at Celesta, and was just about to leave when James put up his hand.

'Yes, Mr Potter?'

'I could do it, if you like,' he offered. Celesta just looked at him for a moment.

'Potter, I don't think you are quite at that level, to be making human transfigurations -'

'Come of it, Professor,' Sirius scoffed. 'He's top of the class. He gets everything first go. McGonagall herself says he's as good as a fourth or fifth year.'

The class murmured their agreement, and James grinned. 

'Very well. Miss Evans, take Mr Potter outside. This isn't a class spectacle. And Mr Black, may I remind you that it is _Professor McGonagall,' Celesta said wearily. James stood from his seat and followed me out into the hall._

'What happened to her?' he grinned as soon as we got outside.

'Gray shot her with his hexshooter,' I sighed, placing Toni on the ground. James gave a small laugh, just as Toni started off down the hall. But he had his wand out and shot a spark just ahead of her. Alarmed, the rabbit changed directions, but James was ready with another spark. Again, she wheeled around to run the opposite way, towards us. When she was about two metres or so away, James hit her directly, this time saying a spell. In another cloud of smoke, Toni was sitting dazedly on the floor. 

'Nice shot,' I commented.

'Thanks,' replied James, as we walked over to Toni. I offered her my hand and helped her up.

'I'm not even going to ask,' she sighed. 'But let me guess - Gray?'

'Mm-hmm,' I said with amusement. 'See you, James.'

'Yeah, and thanks. I'm presuming it was you that changed me back?'

'Yup, that was me. See you Lily. And you're welcome, er - Toni, was it?' He gave a wave before slipping back into class.

'He can be _so_ annoying sometimes,' Toni growled, though good-naturedly.

'Who?' I asked. 'James?'

'No, that guy you're going out with? Geez, Lily. I think you've got James on the brain,' she teased. I narrowed my eyes.

'Don't you start.'

* * *

Lunch time, I retreated to the library, annoyed with all the attention Gray was getting for being a stupid git. As sorry as I felt for him, he was beginning to get on my nerves.

But when I got to the library, I just had to bump into _him._

I had been scanning the shelves under 'Muggle Studies', aware that someone was nearby but not bothered to look. I had come across a book called _A Light Switch Is...? The ABC of All Things Muggle._ I had laughed aloud at that.

'A light switch is... something James does not know how to turn on,' I said with amusement to myself, recounting a time I had found him rather fascinated by the light switch in my room. The lighting in his house was obviously controlled by someone else.

The person that had been nearby moved closer, and this time I looked up. It was James, of course. Who else?

'What was that, Lily? I turn you on... ?' he said playfully, raising an eyebrow. I whacked him.

'Yeah, totally.'

'Really?'

'Nope. It's all in your head.'

'Which one?' he asked innocently. I gaped at him.

'The one you think with, you gross and disgusting dolt!'

'That would be the one in my pants, then,' he smirked. I hit him a second time.

'You are gross.'

'Not really, just not self contained.'

'No, you're gross. You can't have a normal conversation - you have to bring up something perverse.'

'It's a known fact that teenage boys think about sex every three seconds,' he shrugged. 'Who am I to go against what's been scientifically proven?'

I rolled my eyes and moved down the shelf a little to look at the next set of books. James followed.

'What are you doing?' I asked, giving him an odd look.

'Looking at books,' he replied, returning the look.

'You actually know how to read?' I queried teasingly.

'No. I'm hoping these books can teach me, though.'

'Oh, good, good,' was my distracted reply.

It was beginning to become slightly scary how often we were bumping into each other. I mean, sure - we were in the same house, but it was still rather odd the places we often met accidentally. 

'If I didn't know better, I'd think you aren't too happy to see me,' he said playfully. I looked up at him.

'I'm happy. Why?' 

'You don't look it. What's your prob?' 

'Don't have one,' I insisted.

'I think you need a good tickle.'

'I think otherwise,' I said quickly, but James had already grabbed my sides.

'Aaaaaarrrrrggggghhhh!'

'That's more like it,' he laughed thoughtfully, his hands still working at my sides despite my attempts to push him away. A minute later we were up against a bookcase, and I was laughing hopelessly. After glaring at us for a long time, Madam Pince come over and kicked us out for creating a disturbance. Muttering tempestuously to herself, she pushed us all the way to the door, telling us to either calm down or go outside. I'll give you three guesses as to what James opted, and the first two don't count. Yeah - he wanted to go outside.  

'Two days, and it's Quidditch tryouts!' James said happily as we walked alongside the lake. 'Two days and I'll be in heaven.'

'You sound confident that you'll get in,' I noted.

He shot me a dirty look.

'Of course I'll get in. I'm the best flyer in our year, and better than a lot of people in the other years, too.'

'So, what position do you hope to play?'

'Seeker. They don't have one,' he replied casually. 'It'll be a cinch. You have to have skill to be a seeker. Good reflexes. Not too many people try out for it. I've grown up on a broom, and my dad is president of Puddlemere United. He funds them. They've practically got a position with my name on it already, guaranteed. Wouldn't it be awesome, being paid to do what you love?'

'I guess,' I said quietly. 

'James, you really do love your dad, don't you? I mean, tell me it's none of my business, but you two never seem to get on. But you are proud of him, aren't you?'

'My dad is a great man, I don't argue with that. He can do a lot of good. But he has old views, and doesn't want to change. Him and I don't agree on much. But yes, he is my father, and I do love him.'

I nodded, and decided to change the subject.

'You had Divination today, didn't you?'

The third years had been asked to select some special subjects to study on top of their regular program, subjects that would supposedly assist them in their career choice. James and Sirius had both chosen Divination, as well as Muggle Studies. Which, come to think of it, was probably why he had been in the library earlier.

James gave a short laugh.

'Yeah - it's a bit of a joke, really. Professor Pradere shattered a cup when she saw me.'

'You're that scary, huh?' I laughed.

'Mmm. I guess so. Actually, she said that the fates foretell her that I will die an early and tragic death in the process of protecting my loved ones. Load of hippogriff dung, if you ask me.'

I nodded, then something came to my mind.

_And through their friendship and their love they will somehow save us all... though all shall perish in saving lives...___

'You know, James, have you ever thought about what the... about what the Sorting Hat said the other night?' I asked cautiously. Unlike I had expected, James did not look at me in surprise. In fact, I got the feeling he had been thinking the same thing.

'It could be a coincidence,' he said, pulling a stone from his pocket and throwing at the lake. It skimmed the surface before sinking into the ripples.

'As far as I'm concerned, that teacher is bonkers.'

'But the Sorting Hat isn't,' I pressed.

'No, it isn't.'

'Did the hat say that the four would know who they are?' I asked.

'No.'

'Your family is all pureblood, right? There's a big possibility that you could be related to one of the founders.'

'I know. I know I'm going to die and blah, blah, blah. I heard enough from the shrink.'

'But James...'

'Lily, do you think I _want_ to be one of those four people? Because I don't particularly. And I don't want to think about dying. But god knows, my death could be a treat for us all.'

And with that, James said no more.

~*~*~*~*~

I LOVE u all so much!!! hehehe

well, this might only be part one. Im not sure. Maybe ill add on, or maybe ill make a new chappie. Oh well. Me update quick since im on holidays.

Well bye byes gotta fly

SezZie


	3. More About The Founders Four

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ More About The Founders Four ~*~

_~I know it's hard sometimes_

_~To do what must be done_

_~It's hard to except these duties_

_~When all you want to do is run_

_~But when the future depends on you_

_~You know you have to be strong_

_~Because it's people like you_

_~That make it right over wrong_

_~And so I have to tell you_

_~I know that it may be hard_

_~But if you believe you will have the strength_

_~To go the final yard_

_~So when the future's bleak_

_~You feel as if you cannot go on_

_~Remember to believe _

_~Remember to be strong_

James's attitude towards what the Sorting Hat had said had shaken me a little. It obviously meant something to him, or he wouldn't have snapped - but the question was, how much exactly did it mean to him? The one thing I knew for sure was that he wasn't about to let on what. But that wasn't going to stop me finding out.

So on Saturday, I decided to seek him out. I found James sitting under a beech tree, the one he usually sat under with Sirius, Remus and Peter. But that day, he was alone.

Firregaze was at my heels as per usual, slinking along as a fox. I approached the tree from behind, but I think James knew I was there. He didn't say anything, however.

'James,' I said quietly. He didn't look up.

I sat down next to him and said nothing. Eventually, he spoke.

'Lily, are you really a muggle born?' he asked.

If I had been expecting anything, it definitely hadn't been that.

'As far as I know. I didn't know my father very well...' _At all,_ I thought.

'How come?' he asked, picking a blade of grass and rolling it between his fingers.

'Well, he died when I was about six. Wouldn't my mother know if he was magical?'

'Not necessarily,' was all James said.

'Why?' I asked.

James sighed.

'This might sound cruel, but I don't mean it in a nasty way. I... I was glad that you were a muggle born. But now I'm not so sure.'

I watched his face. His eyes were troubled, a stormy grey clouding the usual sapphire colour.

'I know you have it tough as a muggle born. But you're away from all the real terrors of the wizarding world.' He took a breath and ran his hand through his hair. 'In Divination, our Professor is obsessing over what the Sorting Hat. She says that she knows who the four are.'

'And?'

'She won't say anything,' James said, rolling his eyes. 'I doubt she knows. But something she said...'

'What?'

'Don't worry. I'm just... worried that you might not be a muggle born.'

'Why? What does it matter?' I asked, frowning. James stood, his brow creased.

'Because if you're not a muggle born, it's possible that you could be one of the four,' he said roughly, before stalking off to the castle.

I watched him in shock.

Firregaze, too, was watching James stride quickly away, but soon came to settle curled in my lap. I stroked his fur absent mindedly.

James was definitely hiding something.

* * *

'Bella?' I called as I walked up the stairs. She was lounging on her bed with a magazine. When I walked in, she smiled.

'Hi, what's up?'

'James,' I sighed, flopping down on the bed next to her.

'What about him?'

I looked around to make sure noone else was around.

'Well... this might sound weird, and I'm probably wrong... but I think he thinks he's one of the four.'

'As in, the four founders's heirs?' she asked, eyebrows shooting up.

'Yeah,' I nodded. 'It's just that this morning, I was talking to him. And he asked me if I was really a muggle born.'

'What the...?' Bella said with confusion.

'I thought that too, but then I realised - I never knew my father. For all I know, he could have been a wizard.'

'True. Anyway, keep going.'

'So I asked him why he wanted to know, of course. Why would that matter? And then he tells me that he's worried that if I'm not a muggle born, it's possible I could be one of the four. And then he walked off.'

'There are about a thousand people in this school. It could be anyone,' Bella said, her face crinkled in puzzlement.

'I know. But I think he knows something we don't. He mentioned something his Divination professor said to him, but he wouldn't tell me what.'

'Why would he think he's one? You don't think he knows for sure that he's related to one of the founders?'

'I don't know. He won't tell me. But I think he's worried that if he's one... we might be one too. I mean, the hat did talk about loved ones and friendship,' I said, shrugging. 

'That's ridiculous,' Bella said, laughing. 'I doubt that we have anything to do with it, or James either, for that matter. But if he is, the other three would come from the other three houses, wouldn't they?'

I could only shrug in reply. 

But for then, I knew what I needed to do. I needed to get James to open up to me. And to do that, I had to cheer him up.

And to cheer him up, I had to...

Tickle.

* * * 

'Hi Lily,' James said, a lot more cheerful than he had been the previous day.

'Hi,' I said. He eyed me warily.

'What are you up to?'

'Nothing,' I said, frowning.

'You're up to something,' he said, still looking at me suspiciously. He was sitting at a table near the fire, studying.

'And how would you know?'

'Because I'm good at sensing these things. I've been 'up to something' all my life. Besides, I know more about you than you think.'

'The only thing guys know for sure about girls is that they have boobs, and even that could be a figment of your imagination,' I replied, sitting down next to me. James raised his eyebrows.

'I must have a pretty inactive imagination, then,' he teased. I hit him.

'You are _so_ hilarious,' I said dryly. 

'I've always thought so, anyway. So, I'll ask you again, Lily - what are you up to?'

'One word, Jamsie: tickle.'

'Aha. I knew it. But I have two words of my own: tickle back.'

'Bring it on,' I said with a smirk, going right in. I got his sides, but he was at mine too.

'Regretting this plan yet?' James managed through his half-stifled laughter.

'No,' I said determinedly, tackling him off the couch. 

'Thanks for breaking my fall,' I teased.

'You're welcome, here anytime I'm needed.'

'Great to know,' I breathed, struggling to sit across James's stomach.

'This is quite a common position for you nowadays, isn't it?' he asked with a smirk.

'What can I say? You're comfy. If you're ever short of a job, you should seriously consider becoming a pillow.'

'I'll keep it in mind,' he replied, flipping me over. I landed with a thud on my back. He took my wrists in his hands and leaned over me.

'Who's the king now?' he said cockily.

'Me,' I said, pushing him away with my feet. He released my hands and I crawled away.

'Oh really?' he asked, getting onto his knees. 'I was under the impression that you were a female.' He grabbed my ankle to stop me from escaping as he moved closer to me again.

'According to your imagination, no,' I replied. James blushed a little.

'I lied,' he whispered in my ear.

I could feel my own face growing hot.

'Lily Evans! Where have you been?' screeched Hilary from the Portrait Hole. James and I immediately pulled away from each other, and our heads snapped around.

'Uh, here?' I offered. Hilary didn't look too impressed about something.

'Yeah, well Bella and I have been looking for you everywhere! You have to come! Now!'

'Er, OK then,' I said, standing up. 'Bye James.'

'Bye, Lily.'

'What the hell was that about?' I asked once Hilary had dragged me out of the Portrait Hole.

'Sorry, but this is serious. Bella is rather... er, _disturbed,' she said, looking slightly panicky._

'Spill,' I commanded as we headed for the library.

'OK. Well, in Divination the third years are doing prophecies and stuff, and Sirius had this pile of books. Bella picked one up to read, because she thought it looked interesting and... it doesn't look good.'

Bella was sitting on a pouffe in the corner of the library her nose in a blue book. Her face was crinkled in a frown.

'What's going on?' I asked, as me and Hilary took the pouffes closest to hers. Bella handed me the book. It was entitled '_Unsolved and Unclear... Mystical Mysteries in the World of Seeing'._

Bella had the book opened up to a section on general prophecies that had been made and remained unfulfilled. Prophecies about no one in particular, prophecies that puzzled the wizarding world.

She had marked one with a post-it note, and I scanned over it.

'Geez, it's long.'

'Read it,' Bella said quietly.

'Oh my god,' was all I could mutter as I read it.

'Yeah, that's what we thought. Do you think they're actually connected?'

'It's a pretty big coincidence otherwise,' I said softly.

And it was the truth. Because there was an uncanny relation between that prophecy, and the Sorting Hat's song.

'So what do you think it means?' I whispered.

'It means - it _probably _means - that we are heading for dark times. And that everything depends on those four people,' Hilary said. We fell silent, and a sudden urge to speak to James overcame me.

'Guys... can I... can I take this? I need to go see something...' I said.

Hilary and Bella exchanged glances, and I think they understood.

'Yeah, take it. We have some other books to check out... we just thought you might find it interesting...' Hilary trailed off. I knew she had been worried since I had told her what James had said to me. I nodded.

'Thanks. We can talk about it tonight, right?'

'Yeah... see you later.'

I practically ran back to the Common Room. James was nowhere in sight. So, what choice did I have? I went up to the dormitory.

I paused at the door, beginning to think this was a rather stupid idea. The last time I had mentioned the Sorting Hat's song James had practically ripped my head off. But before I had time to back out, the door opened.

'Lily,' was all James said, looking surprised.

'James,' I said breathlessly. I hesitated, then held the book out to him. 'Have you seen this?'

'This is the book we have to study in Divination,' he said slowly, taking it off me.

'Yeah, but have you read it? Don't get mad with me like before, but -'

James cut me off.

'Mad? When was I mad?'

'The other day, when I asked you about the Sorting...'

'Oh... but what's with this book?' he asked, frowning and turning to walk back into his dorm. I hovered in the doorway. He looked up.

'You can come in,' he said. I looked hopelessly at him. After a moment of self-debate, I walked over and sat next to him on his bed.

'So what on earth is this about?'

'That,' I said, pointing to the prophecy. James read it aloud.

'_Over the course of a perfunctory year, four children shall be born_

_And in a way likewise only to them, four tragedies they shalt mourn_

_They will experience life and death on solstice and equinox's eves_

_Blossoming and fruitful petals of a flower, falling as the flower's leaves_

_The first, a child gifted with pure heart and head of strongest will_

_The second one of loyalty and a fierce faithfulness to fulfil_

_The third blessed with heart's fire to hold and protect all near_

_The fourth of courage arrant and true, carries justice's spear_

_All the same in certain ways though different at second glance_

_Four unite in friendship and love to secure goodness's second chance _

_Though each possess an ability, a sacred crystal answers only when they ask_

_And it is these descendants four that use it for the intended task_

_Their rolls are played in a different sequence to their birth_

_In pairs they act, one of love and the second two of mirth _

_Each child of quatern shall grow to learn their part to play_

_One to fight, and one to give, one to flee, and one to stay_

_First to protect, second to love, third to answer a fifth's call_

_Fourth to assist to fulfil the quest and somehow deliver us all _

_The snake and the lion conquer the ancient age argument_

_While badger and raven reunite to seek out lost time once spent_

_Four absolute in blood of ancestors past, blessed with hope and love pure_

_When darkness overcomes the world, the danger their four hearts shall endure _

_Though the task shall kill all before they can live to see the world repair_

_The final two will fall bravely while aiding the passed couplet's heir_

_This child born strong of two of four is destined to make final amends_

_It's_ decisions faced and made is what shall eventually secure the end.'__

James stared at the book for a little.

'You think it's talking about the same thing?' he asked hesitantly.

'Well, do you? It sounds like it.'

'They seem to be talking about the same thing, but they're giving different information,' he said slowly.

'But think, James. This prophecy was made ten years ago. The Sorting Hat mentioned it recently. Maybe it knows... and the four have finally come to Hogwarts, and it's time... so it's giving the final clues so they can work out who they are.'

'Two by mother... two by sire...' James murmured. I nodded.

'First borns. Plus the prophecy mentions four tragedies. It talks about a lion and a snake and an age-old argument - it has to be talking about the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. James, you were hiding something from me the other day, and it had something to do with this. You have to tell me, please.'

He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair despairingly.

'I don't want it to be like this,' he sighed. After a moment, he looked back up at me. 'Alright. I'll tell you. But I think... I think the others should be here too.'

* * *

About five to ten minutes later, we were all sitting up in the boy's dormitories. By all of us I meant myself, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Hilary and Bella. And James looked extremely pale.

'Have you all seen the prophecy?' he asked, his voice toneless. Sirius, Remus and Peter shook their heads. 

'Can they read it?'

Bella passed the book to Remus, who read it and passed it on. Everyone seemed slightly unnerved at the way James was acting - he appeared anxious about something.

'I need to tell you guys something, because it affects you. And it involves _that_,' he said, looking at the book. 'Our family is pureblood, all the way. Goes back about as far as possible. Charles's side goes way back, several hundred years. But Sarah, she goes back even further.'

Hilary's eyes were opening wide.

'I've known this for ages, and I've never told you... but Sarah is related to Godric Gryffindor. Which makes us heirs,' he said, meeting Hilary's gaze.

'And makes you the first born,' I whispered. He nodded. 

'But who are the other four?' Bella asked.  

'Lily,' James asked, turning his back to us. 'Your birthday is on the twentieth of June, isn't it?' 

'Yes,' I said.

'Bella?' 

'Twenty first of December.'

'And Sirius? You're the twenty first of March,' James said, finally turning around again. 'My birthday is on the twenty second of September. The eve of the autumn equinox. The twenty first of Match is the eve of the spring equinox, and...'

'The twenty first of December is the eve of winter solstice,' continued Bella. My heart beating fast, I tucked my hair behind my ear, slightly nervous.

'And the twentieth of June is the eve of summer solstice,' I finished.

'So we're the four?' Sirius asked. 'But we're all in Gryffindor...'

'You don't necessarily have th same traits as your ancient ancestors, Sirius,' Remus said quietly. Peter was still staring cluelessly at James, a slightly frightened look on his face.

'You're all born within a year of each other, too,' Hilary added, as if in confirmation of the fact that was still only slowly sinking in.

'Two by mother, two by sire...' muttered Sirius.

'My mother,' James said quietly. 'And I'm the heir of Gryffindor.'

'My father,' I said, my tone just as quiet. Everyone looked at me.

'But Lily's muggle born,' Bella said suddenly.

'Apparently not,' said James grimly. 'Lily never knew her father.'

'It has to be my mother,' Bella said. 'My dad was muggle born.'

'And that leaves my father,' Sirius sighed. 'Whom I never knew, either.'

'This is scary,' Peter said. We all nodded.

'I don't envy you, that's for sure,' Remus said softly, his expression worried and sympathetic.

'We're going to die,' I said, looking out the window.

We were all holding our breath, waiting for James to say something. And finally, he did.

'We need to go see Dumbledore.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oooooooooh it's getting darker now! Hehehehe. Hmm. Do you like it? I wanna know - should it go darker, or don't you want that? 

Anyways, hello to all my newbies! Throwing popcorn is prohibited, but yes, you may use cookies instead. Hehehehehehe. Man that whole evil laugh thing is olod now but hey, it's me. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Right, now I have that out of my system....

Did you like my prophecy? I don't like it that much. It doesn't *flow* properly. But I still put a lot of work into it so you better appreciate it! Hehehe.

Oh well, I shall go now. Sorry that this chap and the last one were short, but the next one will be longer.

Bye, bye, gotta fly...

º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ºE`Eº¤ø,¸¸,ø¤~SezZie~¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ºE`Eº¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ºE


	4. A Few Things Unfogged

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ A Few Things Unfogged ~*~

_~Clear as mud_

_~But right as rain_

_~Confusing, I know_

_~But this is just so_

_~Hard to explain_

_~No need to tell me_

_~That this doesn't_

_~Make any sense at all_

_~Just need you to be_

_~There for me_

_~To catch me when I fall..._

It took a little longer to sink in, the whole prophecy thing. I don't think any of us could quite comprehend the reality of the whole situation - we were in awe primarily over the fact that we were indeed part of a prophecy. That alone was rather scary.

When we had reached Dumbledore's office, we didn't have long to ponder the password, as Dumbledore himself appeared, surveying us with solemn eyes.

'Ah. I have been expecting you four,' he said. James, Sirius, Bella and I all filed into his office - Remus, Peter and Hilary had to remain outside. By then, I was feeling quite nervous.

'Mr Potter, Mr Black, Miss Figg and Mis Evans. Good afternoon,' he said cheerfully, sitting behind his desk and lacing his fingers together.

'Good afternoon, Professor,' we all mumbled.

'I see you have uncovered the prophecy in your Divination text. And, of course, the certain likenesses between yourself and the four mentioned.'

'Are we the four?' Sirius asked. 

'It indeed appears so,' Dumbledore replied merrily. 'Although I didn't quite anticipate on the four uncovering their identities so soon. You do realise the complications and impacts this discovery may have on you?'

We all nodded.

'Because of this, I must ask you to completely forget anything you have learned today.'

We all stared at him.

'I can understand how this may lead you to live in fear of events to come. Therefore, I wish for you to forget it. Live out your childhoods peacefully, and what may come shall remain in the future.'

'You want us to completely ignore the fact that we're supposed to somehow help defeat some big evil? How we're supposed to die?' James asked fiercely, frowning. 'It's not something I'll be able to forget in a hurry.'

'I'm not expecting you to, James,' Dumbledore said gently. 'But no more fuss that necessary should be made of this. I must ask you to keep this within yourselves, and try to move past it for now.'

'If we weren't meant to know, why was that book set for us?' Sirius asked.

'Your Divination Professor set that book based on other topics covered inside it, and I passed it without realising the full contents of it.'

Dumbledore unlaced his fingers and moved his chair away from his desk to search a draw.

'I do believe you have many questions, and I shall answer them. But first, I would like to give you these.'

He withdrew a small leather pouch. We all watched with interest as he loosened the string that fastened it and tipped the pouch so that a crystal suspended on a leather cord slipped onto the desk. A compass-like object followed it. Dumbledore picked up the crystal. Truth

'This is a Phoenix Crystal. Much myth surrounds it - the main idea seems to be that when in the right hands, it is capable of summoning a phoenix to the aid of the bearer. It apparently has a few other uses, too. Of course I'm not quite sure exactly what it does, I've never seen it used.'

The crystal was long and thin, with pointed ends. The base was slightly larger than the peak, and a small, pale blue light pulsated from the very centre of it.

'Is that what the prophecy is talking about?' asked Bella, pulling her hair away from her face.

'I can imagine so. It does speak of a crystal that answers only to a particular call, and this is the only crystal with that ability that I am aware of.'

'What's that thing?' asked Sirius, poking the compass shaped object.

'That,' said Dumbledore, picking it up, 'is a Ambitometer.'

'And what does it do?' asked Bella.

'I'm not quite sure, because no one has ever been able to read it. It has always been kept with the crystal, however. I believe they have some connection.'

I was watching the Ambitometer with interest as Dumbledore turned it over in his hands. It was exactly like a compass on the outside - a gold rim around a glass face, knobs at the sides. But beneath the glass was something completely different. It was like a hologram inside - a three dimensional world. A snow covered mountain, with tiny snowflakes fluttering down around it. And at the very peak of the mountain was a glowing red. Something like a fire.

Dumbledore placed the Ambitometer down on the leather pouch, and I leaned a little closer, still fascinated by it. Around the outside, still inside the glass but separate from the projection, was a ring filled with symbols. A tiny red bird was at the top.

'Professor, may I have a look at that?' 

I was aware that everyone was looking at me, since it was the first time I had spoken. Dumbledore raised his palms.

'I don't see why not.'

I reached forward and took the Ambitometer. Upon closer inspection I realised the symbols surrounding the glass face were actually minuscule letters, although in no particular order.

I stared deeply into the projection of the mountain. _How did this thing work?_

Suddenly, the small red bird began to move. It made its way gradually around the ring of letters, rearranging them as it went. By the time it had reached its original position, they had changed to spell out something.

_Mind and spirit unite as whole_

_To find an answer, truth shall toll_

My eyes opened wide.

'What is it?' James asked, leaning over my shoulder.

'It moved,' I said. 'The letters - they changed.'

'They still don't make any sense,' he observed, giving me an odd look. My gaze returned to the Ambitometer. The rhyme had indeed disappeared.

'But a second ago... I asked it how it worked, and it said mind and spirit unite as whole, to find an answer truth shall toll,' I said, frowning. 'I swear it did! The bird flew around the edge, and changed all the letters...'

I looked up at Dumbledore. He was watching me with interest.

'That bird is a phoenix, Miss Evans,' he said slowly, his blue eyes twinkling with interest. 'How exactly did you ask it?'

'I just looked really hard at it, and thought, how do you work? Then the phoenix changed all the letters around.'

'Ask it something else,' Bella said, looking slightly excited. She moved a little closer. 

'Ask it what it's for,' Sirius suggested. I looked at Dumbledore, and he nodded.

Clearing my mind, I looked into the glass again, concentrating hard. _What is your purpose?_

Once again, the phoenix made its way slowly around the outside, moving letters as it went. James was watching over my shoulder, but I could tell from the look on his face that he couldn't read what it said.

'_To warn, to heed, to light the way_

_Protect and prepare when darkness strays...'_

This time, when the bird reached its starting position, it didn't stop but continued around a second time.

'_To assist in times uncertain and unstable_

_And to provide an answer whenever able.'_

There was silence for a few moments before James spoke.

'I couldn't read a thing. It went too fast.'

I frowned.

'It goes slow...'

'Not while I was watching,' said Sirius. 'It moved fast.'

Bella nodded.

'Well you try,' I said, handing the Ambitometer to James. Dumbledore was still watching keenly.

James took it and looked into it, obviously asking it something in his head. The phoenix didn't move.

'It's not working,' he said.

'Let me try,' Sirius said excitedly. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the prophecy.

Sirius also failed to read it, as did Bella. Dumbeldore didn't try, but handed it back to me.

'What does this mean?' asked Bella.

'It means that Miss Evans is the only one that can read the Ambitometer,' he said quite simply.

'But why me?' I asked. What was so special about me?

'Not sure myself. It is of course yours to take, however.'

I stared at him.

'I can't take this. It's yours -'

'And I can't read it, so it isn't much use to me, is it?' Dumbledore interrupted. 'Take it, please. As for the crystal... I don't believe its time has come yet. You four are free to leave. But I must stress that you try to forget what you have read,' he said, gesturing to the book, 'and carry on with your lives. There's no use worrying about something that's a long way off.'  

* * *

I didn't go to dinner that night. I waited until everyone had left before curling up in front of the fire, the Ambitometer in my hands. I took it out.

_Why me?_

As I gazed into the glass, I noticed the picture had changed. The snow that had covered the mountain before seemed to be melting, revealing a vibrant green. Then, the phoenix began to move. It had to do six rounds before I got the whole message.

_To hear without being heard, to see without being seen_

_A pair of eyes, a pair of ears, and a mouth to intervene_

_A mind to understand what has always been unknown_

_Each to play a part of four, working together yet alone_

I took a deep breath.

'What did it say?' asked a voice, making me jump. I turned to see James leaning over the back of my armchair.

'Why didn't you go to dinner?' I asked, regaining composure.

'Didn't your mother ever teach you not to answer a question with a question? Besides, I could ask the same of you,' he said, coming around to sit next to me. I moved a little to give him more room.

'Wasn't hungry,' I sighed. 

'Me either. Now what did it say? What did you ask it?' he pressed.

'I asked it why I was the only one who could read it,' I said flatly.

'And?'

I told James what the Ambitometer had said. I had thought that I would have forgotten it easily, but for some strange reason, I could remember each rhyme perfectly.

'What do you think that means?' James asked, genuinely interested. I had expected no one to believe me when I had said I could read it, especially considering no one else could. But no one had contradicted me so far.

'It means that we all have an... ability. Someone to see, someone to listen, someone to talk, and someone to understand. I can obviously understand.'

That was the most logical conclusion. 

'What about the other three? Who do you think they are?' he asked.

'Bella's probably the listener. She's got really keen ears, but besides that, she can listen to people's problems. Sirius? He's probably the talker,' I laughed. 

'Probably,' James agreed. 'That leaves me as the watcher, which makes sense I guess. I like to watch people, and how they act.'

I nodded.

'James... are you scared?' I asked him.

'Yes,' he said quietly. 

I looked back to the Ambitometer.

_What do we do now?_

_Close your eyes and seal your ears_

_Ignore most of what you hear_

_Confine your thoughts to your head_

_Focus on your present life instead_

That was pretty much what Dumbledore had said.

'I know this is going to be really hard to just ignore, but we have to,' I told James. 'He's right - it will ruin our lives if we go around dreading things a long way off.'

He nodded.

'We should promise not to talk about it anymore.'

'Yeah,' I said.

And later that night, we did. We made a promise not to talk about it again. 

At least, not until we needed to.

* * *__

One evening, a week or so later, James and I were playing wizard's chess in the Common Room. We had all done surprisingly well at keeping our promise - no one had spoken of it since that night. But it was quite obviously still playing on everyone's minds.

'Checkmate,' James said, bringing me back to reality. I sighed.

'I suck at chess,' I said hopelessly, burying my face in my hands.

'I don't mind,' he grinned. 'It means I get to win.'

'At my expense,' I grumbled. I stood up and stretched. 

Only to be tackled to the ground by Sirius.

'Hey!' I exclaimed. But Sirius had already scrambled to his feet again.

'Sorry Lily!' he called as he dashed out of the Portrait Hole, Bella hot on his heels. I laughed and turned back to James.

'Do you still like Tara?' I yawned conversationally. James nodded.

'You?'

'No, I don't like her,' I laughed.

'You know what I mean,' he replied as he packed his chessmen away.

'Nope. I'm crush-free.'

'Truth?'

'The truth and nothing but the whole,' I said, saluting him. He grinned and came over to tickle me.

'Aaaahhh! Stop!' I giggled.

'Tell me who you like,' he commanded.

'No one! I don't like anyone!'

'Not even me?' he asked, smirking as he steered me over to a couch, his hands still tickling my sides mercilessly. 

'Who do you like?'

'James Potter! James Potter!' I breathed, laughing.

'Why?'

'Because he's dreadfully mean -'

'What was that?' James asked, eyebrow raised.

'I mean, because he's really nice! And he's a sex god! And -'

'OK, so refresh my memory again. Who do you love?'

'You!' 

'Who? I didn't quite hear that -'

'You! I love you, James Potter! Now stop, please!'

James stopped, smirking.

'So now your secret comes out,' he said with amusement.

'I don't love you,' I spat, sitting up. 'You were tickling me to death. I had to say that.'

'Deep down, I know you love me,' he said, placing a hand over his heart as he flopped down next to me.

'In your dreams, Potter,' I grumbled.

'How did you find out about those?' James gasped with fake shock.

'You have naughty dreams about me, huh?' I asked. James was sitting next to the armrest, so I sat slightly on his lap to rest my back against it. I laid back and looked up at him with a smirk as I wriggled to get comfortable.

'Yeah, but you weren't meant to find out,' he whispered.

'OK. I'll keep it a secret,' I whispered back.

'You know what Sirius showed me yesterday?'

'What?' I asked lazily, closing my eyes.

'Look. If you put your hands like this...'

He took my right hand and held it in his, our thumbs sticking up.

'... and suck your thumbs, it looks like you're snogging when you're not.'

I looked at him in amusement.

'And why would Sirius want to look like he was snogging you?'

James scowled.

'He was just showing me how to do it. He did it with Chrissy and it looked hell funny.'

'But why would Sirius want to look like he was snogging Chrissy, either? He's going out with Bella,' I pointed out. James gave an exasperated sigh.

'He was just showing me, OK? I thought you might find it amusing, but you have to go all technical on me.'

'I'm sorry for spoiling your fun. I did find it amusing,' I said.

'Do you want to do it?' he asked mischievously. I laughed.

'Why?'

'Because I'm in love with you, Lily,' James said in a girly voice, taking my hand again and pulling his thumb up to his mouth. I laughed and covered my own thumb with my lips. I looked into James's twinkling eyes and laughed.

'Oh Lily!' James exclaimed, moving his mouth exaggeratively. I rolled my eyes.

'Will you ever grow up?' I asked, pulling back.

'Don't stop! Kiss me more, Lily,' he teased. I hit him.

'Sorry, as much as I enjoy kissing you, I do have a boyfriend.'

'Yes, you do.'

My head spun around. Gray was sitting sprawled out on the couch slightly opposite us. I groaned inwardly, knowing what was coming.

'Hi, Gray,' I said, somewhat mildly.

'Why don't you just go out with him, Lily? There's no need to worry about feelings; he's obviously as much in love with you as you are with him.'

I sat up straight, glaring at Gray.

'I am not in love with James. We were playing around, OK? If you can't handle that, then this isn't going to work.'

'Are you going to break up with me, Lily? Without asking Potter's opinion?' Gray asked coolly.

'Lily doesn't need my opinion. She can make her own decision,' James said coldly.

'And don't you hope she breaks it off. So you can go out with her instead. Well, no need. I'll do it. Lily, we're through.'

'Yeah, I did hope she would break it off. But for a different reason. Not because I'm in love with her at all - Lily's just a friend. No, the reason I wanted her to break it off is because she is way too good for you. She was there for you when your dad died. She stayed by you when you found it necessary to be an insufferable jerk to everyone because you were all messed up. And you couldn't even give her the slightest bit of trust in return. Instead, you had to accuse her of cheating on you everytime you saw us together. She didn't blow her top at you everytime she saw you talking to Emma,' James fumed, referring to a Hufflepuff Gray was friends with.

Gray didn't have a reply to that. He glared at James before getting up and walking up the stairs to his dormitory without once looking back at me.

'Jerk,' James muttered under his breath.

'James, I really could have handled that on my own,' I said quietly. He looked at me.

'Why? Would you have tried to make him see it from your point of view again? There's no point, Lily. He's just jealous and there wasn't much you could do about it.'

'What I'm saying is yes, I could have tried to work it out. He might not have dumped me.'

'You actually want to still go out with him?' 

'As annoying as he is, maybe I did. Maybe I did still want to go out with him. He's not much different to you, you know? And don't tell me you've never been jealous of anyone in your life. It is strange that we're such close friends, James. It doesn't happen very often. And people are going to get ideas. You can't give up on people because of that. It applies to us as much as it does to me and Gray. Just like I have to respect what my friends think, you have to respect what my boyfriend thinks. And if us spending so much time together annoys people, then maybe we should tone it down.'

'You resent the time we spend together?' James asked tonelessly.

'No, James,' I said, my eyes prickling. I wasn't going to cry. What was there to cry about?

'Well I don't think I get what you mean, then. Because in my world, best friends spend a lot of time together. If you don't want to spend time together, there's really no point in us being friends.'

'James, no,' I whispered. 'That's not what I mean and you know it.'

'Then what do you mean, Lily? I don't think I know anymore. But make sure you let me know when you figure it out,' he said, standing and exiting through the Portrait Hole. I turned my head to the side, trying to suppress tears.

'I don't know if I'll ever figure it out,' I whispered, staring at the spot where James had been. 

Because not even I knew what I meant.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aww, kinda sad chapter. But there we go all you people that wanted Gray gone! Hehe. Let's have a party! 

And no, Gray, you're not invited. *gives Gray odd look* Why would YOU be invited? You caused trouble between Lily and James! *smacks Gray over head*

OK guys! I want reviews! And I wanna know where my old reviewers have all gone! You disappeared! You know I got about twice as many reviews for Dating Game than I did for my last two chapters? This one is meant to get more since it's my major story! Oh well. I am happy that Dating Game is going well. But reviews would make me happy! I do understand that it's partially since I posted three chapters in quick succession so that you read them all and only reviewed once rather than reviewing each chapter. But no worries. Enjoy the quick posts while they last. I'll be back at school soon.

Bye byes, gotsa fly!

~EH.q'`q» -»|«-)(SezZie)(-»|«- «q'`q.HE~ 


	5. Justifying The Means

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ Justifying The Means ~*~

_~I don't know about you anymore_

_~Throw it away so easily_

_~But this meant more to me_

_~That to be discarded like this_

_~Thrown away, unwanted_

_~Wasn't meant to happen_

_~Don't even bother to resolve this_

_~Throw it away so easily_

_~That's how you treat me_

_~I'm not a candy wrapper_

_~Though I feel like the gum_

_~Chew me up then spit me out_

_~Don't even bother to resolve this_

_~Throw it away so easily_

_~But this meant more to me_

For a small argument, it sure caused a lot of trouble. James didn't exactly avoid me, but he didn't make the effort to speak to me, either. And when I attempted conversation, he'd narrow it down to small talk everytime. The boys wouldn't sit with us at all - they remained permanently fixed up the other end of the table with the third year girls. Apart from the odd defiance from Bella and Sirius, there was some unspoken hostility between our two groups, and it wasn't what I wanted. 

I could tell James didn't want it, either. But that was the downside to having fiercely loyal friends - if anyone had the slightest thing against you, it was immediately transformed into a fully blown grudge, one almost impossible to overcome. And as nice as it was to know how faithful your friends are, the situation wasn't a good one.

It was mostly a case of James's friends rather than mine. For although Bella and Hilary's loyalty laid with me, James was Hilary's brother, and Bella did happen to be going out with Sirius. Sirius was also torn between Bella and James, while Remus seemed wary of the whole thing. Peter went with whatever James said, and all in all, the whole thing was blown out of proportion - especially considering everyone was pretending to be mad at everyone else for their friend's sake, when in reality no one really was that mad.

As much as I felt like I was betraying Bella and Hilary and even Joey, James had been my closest friend. And as close as he was to Sirius, I knew the whole thing was bothering him, too. Although we both had same-sex best friends, we still needed each other. And the fact that we were different sexes seemed to make the whole friendship seem totally different. It was like the difference between friends and boyfriends/girlfriends. They were practically the same thing, but then again completely different. Confused? So am I. 

Anyway, the whole thing had thrown me completely out of orbit. So I kept mostly to myself - spending a lot of time experimenting with the Ambitometer. During this time I found out quite a lot about it. For example, I discovered that it didn't always answer your question. If it didn't want to tell you something, it would either remain still or tell you something completely irrelevant. And the only questions it would answer were ones related to us four in some way. 

I also realised it talked completely in riddles and although not much made sense to begin with, it did come true in a twisted sort of way. 

One evening, after watching James and Remus play wizard's chess - that had always been something James and I did, since Sirius hated chess - I had sunk forlornly into an armchair, tempted to ask the Ambitometer something I was reluctant to inquire about. I had been rather cautious of asking it personal-related questions, because it seemed to me that it had a more important purpose, but after several minutes of brooding I gave into the temptation and asked it why James was mad at me.

The Ambitometer was very blunt in its reply; there was nothing puzzling about the message it gave.

_Jealousy when shown is an emotional foe_

_A friendship succumbed to it yields much woe _

I sighed. Of course that was why he was mad - Gray had been the cause for our argument. That was obvious. But I suspected that there was something deeper than that bothering James. After all, he had always disliked Gray. Why had he chosen now to become mad at me? 

Despite his reaction to what I had said, I doubted it was the real problem. If it had been, the whole thing would have been more quickly resolved. Then again, James was a proud person, and if there was one thing I knew, it was that a male with a wounded pride was like a tiger with an empty stomach - willing to feed on anything to make up for a bruised ego. But what exactly had I done to wound his pride? Nothing, really. 

At some stage, I asked the Ambitometer a random question without meaning to, I just happened to be thinking it while staring at the glass: _What is Gray doing now?_

The Ambitometer seemed to find this question rather invalid, but it did however give me a reply referring to something completely different.

_Mystery deep in the gentle heart_

_Misses the link now broken apart_

_Danger strikes the lost at night_

_The price to pay to end the spite_

Although I didn't understand it fully, something about the message made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Firregaze, asleep next to me as a cat, was stirring, his own fur bristling. That night, I had a hard time getting to sleep.

Because I had the feeling something bad was about to happen. Very, very soon.

* * *

I'll never forget that morning. It began normally enough - we all woke, dressed, gathered our school things and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. And, as was the norm since our little tiff, James's group sat at one end of the table while mine sat at the other. 

My edginess was beginning to ebb after a regular start, but everything changed when the mail came in.

Although I had no idea what exactly, I knew something wasn't right when a storm-grey owl swooped down to circle the Gryffindor table. Something about the stormy, piercing eyes and the chilling shriek it made my heart skip a beat. But it definitely meant something to a lot of other people, too. Bella and Hilary weren't the only two with a troubled look in their eyes. 

'What is it?' I asked Bella quietly.

'A wraith owl,' she whispered back. 'They carry death notices...'

_Danger strikes the lost at night_

_The price to pay to end the spite..._

I held my breath as the owl glided over to where James was seated, but it wasn't James that the owl landed in front of. 

It was April.

Hilary let out a strangled gasp. My eyes were glued to April as she opened the letter, her hands shaking. A minute later and she had run out of the hall, tears streaming down her face, the letter still on the table. Juliet dashed off after her.

Swallowing, I turned my gaze back to where she had been seated. James had picked up the letter, and was reading it, stony-faced.

'Aunt May...' Hilary whispered, biting her lip. 

James angrily scrunched the letter up and threw it with force into a bowl of cereal. And then I understood what the Ambitometer had said. James's loss was what was going to put an end to our argument. If there was a time to apologise, it was now. 

I watched as James calmly stood from his chair and exited the hall, holding his emotion quite well. Sirius made to follow, but Remus held him back. I turned to Hilary.

'They were close,' she explained, her voice shaky. 'You should go talk to him.' 

'He'd want to be left alone...' I said, wiping my brow. 'He doesn't want to talk to me... Sirius should...'

'No, Lily - go talk to him. Sirius... well, you know. Boys aren't good at emotional talk,' Bella pressed.

'He's mad at me,' I hissed, although I knew she was right.

'So? Just go, Lily,' Hilary said, giving me a hard look.

'Lily should go,' said Remus, coming up behind me. 'This isn't Sirius's place; it's yours. Go.'

I nodded resignedly and stood, ignoring the eyes on me as I dashed out of the hall.

When I got to the Common Room, there was a pair of first years, obviously late, darting hurriedly around. Sobs were drifting down from the girls staircase. I took a deep breath before turning the other way and heading up the boys's. 

I knocked tentatively on the door to James's dorm, but there was no reply.

'James?' I whispered, pushing the door open.

James was standing in front of the window with his back to me, gazing out over the grounds. He didn't turn around at my mention of his name. Eyes downcast, I approached him.

'It was May, wasn't it?' I asked. He paused, then nodded.

'You knew,' he said. I looked at him in shock.

'What?'

'You knew something like this was going to happen. I heard you talking to Hilary this morning. You had a feeling something was wrong.' He turned to look at me.

'I didn't know what,' I muttered. 'The Ambitometer...'

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'James, you wouldn't speak to me!' I exclaimed, slightly angry. 'But even if I did, you couldn't have prevented it. Not even I knew what it was.'

'You said you didn't want us to be friends anymore,' he said impassively.

'No, you interpreted it that way. That's not what I meant. Of course I want us to be friends. No boy is worth more than a friendship,' I told him, tears welling in my eyes without me really understanding why. I hugged James. 

'I'm sorry,' I whispered.

'Me too,' he replied. 

'You were close, weren't you?' I asked him, once we were sitting on his bed.

'Yeah. But April... she's got no one now.'

'How did she die?' 

When he didn't answer straight away, I swallowed, thinking I had asked the wrong question. But a moment later, he spoke.

'They don't know. But after her father being killed not so long ago, don't you think it's a bit of a coincidence? She wasn't old. She wasn't sick.'

'Can they tell if a person has been killed by Avada Kedavra?' I asked quietly.

'I'm not sure. But if there's no evidence of a struggle, or dark activity, they'd probably completely overlook it. Appleton wouldn't waste resources investigating a dead end. Though I don't how else they're going to explain her dying.'

Neither did I, but I think I knew. Because I got the strange idea that the Ambitometer hadn't been happy with James and I fighting. And it seemed that Aunt May's death had been its way of removing that problem.

* * *

After an half hour or so I went downstairs and found Sirius waiting in the Common Room. I left him to be with James; my job was done. With a last glance at the staircase and Sirius's retreating back, I summoned my things and made my way to potions.

Potions was my least favourite subject. We had it with Ravenclaw, which wasn't too bad. Our potions master was Professor Focena, though we called him Professor Pigfish. In all reality he looked like a porpoise, although that was an insult to porpoises if you ask me. 

He was probably the most hated teacher in the school, alongside Marchstall, the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.

But anyway, Focena didn't take kindly to any kind of disruption. This included being late for class. So, as you can imagine, when I arrived about half an hour late, he wasn't very impressed. 

'Evans. Here. Now,' he commanded, pointing to the ground in front of his desk. Normally Gray and his friends would have snickered, but I got the feeling they were holding back because they knew why I hadn't been on time.

Cursing the fact that James and Sirius only had to worry about being late for Divination, I stepped up in front of Focena.

'You are late. Why?'

I stared determinedly back into his cold grey eyes. His long caramel hair was fastened in a ponytail at the back of his neck. Focena was relatively young, about twenty five or so. 

'I was with a friend,' I said, knowing fully well that trying to give excuses wasn't going to help my situation. In fact, I was beginning to wonder why I had bothered to come at all. I would have been much better off waiting it out until our next class started.

'With a friend? And who would this friend be?'

'James,' I said quietly.

'Who?'

'James Potter,' I said, glaring at him. 

Geoff snorted, but I could tell Gray would be giving me dark looks.

'And is friend the right word? May we be more correct in using the term 'boyfriend', perhaps?'

I bit my tongue, knowing he wanted a reason to punish me further.

'He's not her boyfriend,' Gray said suddenly, standing up. Focena turned his gaze to him.

'I beg your pardon, Mr Parkson? Did you say something?'

'I said, he's not her boyfriend.'

If I had expected anything of Gray, that was not one of them. Especially since James was the whole reason we had broken up in the first place. I looked to Hilary and Bella to find them staring at him in shock, too.

'My, my - how up to date we all seem on Miss Evans's love life,' Focena sneered. 

That was it. I was mad. I didn't care what happened, I was going to set that teacher straight.

'Well, you're obviously a little behind, so let me clear it up for you. First, my best friends are Bella, Hilary and James. Gray was boyfriend, but we recently broke up. James is and always was just my best friend, and I was late for class because I was comforting him because somebody he was very close to just died. And in case you were wondering, I'm currently single,' I said coolly, my voice quiet. 'So go ahead, give me a detention if you like. But if you ask me, death is a pretty reasonable explanation as to why I am late for class. You're lucky I bothered to come at all. Since you're wasting your time trying to provoke me, I doubt we'll learn anything, so there was really no point in me coming.'

I could feel eyes on me, people staring at me in disbelief. I knew exactly what they were all thinking - how shocking it was that Lily Evans, the goody two shoes, of all people, had just back chatted a teacher. Focena at that.

Focena, too, seemed taken aback, because it was a full minute before he managed to snap out at me just one word.

'Detention.'

'What a surprise,' Gray said sarcastically. 'And let me guess, I've got one now, too?'

He was looking challengingly at the Professor, and I was still very confused as to why he was sticking up for me.

Focena quickly recovered and turned his amber eyes towards Hilary.

'Miss Potter. Stand.'

Hilary obeyed.

'Was this death that of a family member?' he asked menacingly.

'Yes.'

'Then how is it your brother is so upset that he and his best friend are unable to arrive at class on time, yet you yourself were not late?'

I opened my mouth to protest, but was silenced with a look from Gray. I settled with glaring at Focena's back. That question was totally unfair.

'James was very close to our aunt. He spent a lot of time with her since our cousin is the same age as him. I wasn't that close to her, so her death didn't have as big an impact on me. I'm still upset,' Hilary said angrily. 

'And you have no right to give Lily a detention for that. If you had just had someone close to you die, you would want a friend nearby,' Bella said furiously, also getting to her feet. 'And I don't think you can blame her for wasting class time when you ridiculing her is taking up pretty much the whole lesson anyway!'

'Miss Figg, kindly shut your mouth!' Focena roared.

I held my breath as Bella glared at him, praying she had enough sense to keep her mouth shut.

'No,' came her quiet reply, and I cringed. 

'What did you say?' Focena asked in a dead quiet, icy tone.

'I will not shut my mouth,' Bella said nonchalantly.

'Miss Figg, may I inform you that you have already earned yourself a week of detentions, and if I were you I would sit down immediately.'

Bella remained standing.

'Sit down! All of you!' Focena bellowed, his eyes narrowing dangerously. All four of us refused to take a seat.

'Very well. We are a disobedient class today, aren't we? Maybe it would knock you all off your high horse if I took _fifty points from Gryffindor? Each?'_

I was tempted to sit. 

As healthily full as it was, I knew the Gryffindor hour glass couldn't afford to lose two hundred points.

'Sit down, please,' pleaded Kelsey, her eyes flickering worriedly from us to Focena.

'Shut _up_, Aaronmore,' Gray said, glaring at her. She gave a small squeak and fell quiet. Just then, Toni stood.

'What is this? Musical chairs?' I muttered to myself.

'Baker, sit down! Now!' 

But Toni, too, was determined not to move. Focena was almost shaking with anger. Anyone could tell he wasn't used to being disobeyed.

Minutes later and the whole class was standing. Focena didn't know what to do.

It was perhaps lucky that at that point, McGonagall came in, because had she not, he may have had a heart attack from the mere shock of twenty one students disobeying him. Even the Ravenclaws had stood up in protest.

McGonagall strode into the dungeons and looked around with curiosity at the class, all of whom were on their feet, before turning to me.

'Miss Evans, I need you to come with me.' Her eyes lingered on Hilary. 'Yes, perhaps you should come too, Miss Potter. Is this fine with you, Lukas?'

Focena glared at me with intense dislike. With a shaking hand, he pointed towards the door.

'Go,' he said, his face rather red. Hilary and I followed McGonagall out, heads lowered, trying to hide smirks.

Once we had ascended to the castle, McGonagall began to speak, all the while heading with a brisk manner towards Gryffindor Tower.

'Miss Evans, I believe you stayed with Mr Potter this morning?'

'Yes, Professor.'

'And you left him... in the boys dormitories?'

I looked at McGonagall to find the corners of her mouth curled in the hint of a smile.

'Yes, Professor.'

'He's gone missing.'

Hilary and I both stopped in our tracks.

'_What?_' we both asked.

McGonagall stopped and turned.

'He's gone missing.'

She began walking again, and we followed.

'But Sirius went up to -' I protested.

'Mr Black went up to find an empty dormitory,' McGonagall interrupted. We had reached the Portrait Hole.

'Foxtrot,' she said shortly, and it swung open.

Sirius was sitting on an armchair, brooding. 

I looked straight to the stairs. Throwing my hair over my shoulder, I proceeded to walk up them.

'Miss Evans, may I tell you that the dormitory has been searched numerous times -'

I ignored McGonagall and threw the door open. Everything was as it had been when I had left, roughly half an hour ago. My eyes flew around the room to rest on what I was searching for. James's trunk.

Taking a deep breath, I yanked open the lid and began to search through it. Half of it was already scattered around the room, but it still contained numerous things. However, the thing I was looking for was not.

James's invisibility cloak.

* * *

Ten minutes later and I was in the girl's bathroom, the Ambitometer shaking in my hands.

_Where is he? _

_A place of escape, above both water and ground_

_Searching for space, not seen but safe and sound_

I let out a sigh of relief. He was safe. But I still had to know where he was. My eyes travelled to a window. The lake's surface was smooth that day since there was no wind. And next to the lake...

Was a tree.

And it was above the ground and the lake. Slipping the Ambitometer back into my robes, I hurried out of the bathroom.

I ran past McGonagall on my way to the door.

'Miss Evans! Where are you going?' she asked, frowning.

'I know where James is,' I breathed.

'Where?' 

'Don't follow, please... he did this to be alone,' I told her. 'He's safe. I just need to make sure he's there, then I'll come back. But please don't come with me.'

McGonagall gave me a hard look before nodding.

'Very well. You have my permission. Go, but hurry back.'

I ran across the grounds, my robes billowing out behind me. As I neared the tree I slowed down. I didn't go straight to it, but walked past it to look out over the lake.

'You scared me, James,' I said, a little breathlessly. I turned around just as he was removing the cloak.

'How?' he asked me, his voice empty of emotion.

'I though you'd done something stupid.'

'I needed space. To think.'

'I know,' I said quietly, leaning my back against the tree.

'Can I come up?' I asked him, craning my neck back to look up at him.

'Can you climb?'

I gave him a look that clearly told him I could. If there was anything I had learnt from Joey Taylor it was how to climb trees.

Seconds later and I had climbed up beside him. We sat in silence for a few minutes, both thinking.

'Where's Firregaze?' James asked, out of the blue. I noticed for the first time that he wasn't with me. I shrugged. 

'I don't know.'

'I haven't seen you without him for ages.'

It was true. Firregaze went with me everywhere. Even in class he found away - whether curled up as a mouse in my pocket or something similar.

'I don't think he's been with me since breakfast, when I went after you,' I said slowly, pushing my hair out of my eyes and shielding my face from the sun.

He had come to breakfast with me as a cat. And I got the feeling that where I had followed, he had not.

'I'm sorry if I scared you,' James said suddenly.

'I'm sorry about your aunt,' I replied.

'I'm sorry about being a jerk the other night.'

'I'm sorry for what I said the other night.'

'I'm sorry for what I said to Gray the other night.'

We both looked at each other and grinned.

'Sorry,' we said together.

~*~*~

There we go. I'd have updated sooner but damn fanfiction was broken. Lol. It fixed now. Ok you can all say goodbye to those two day chapters now coz im back at school but weekly is still going to be possible. Yeah. SO review. BTW, where's Amelia Bedelia? I don't think you've reviewed my last two chapters :S maybe im wrong but anyway

Toodles!

SezZie

P.S: 

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1By the way, whoever asked:

A solstice is either the shortest or longest day of the year. One is in the middle of winter, one in the middle of summer.

Equinoxes are the two days of the year when there is equal day and night. These are in the middle of spring and autumn.


	6. I Can't Believe You Forgot!

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ I Can't Believe You Forgot ~*~

_~I once met a man who'd travelled the world_

_~Sailed his ship across seas from shore to shore_

_~Gave him a penny for something he'd learned_

_~He said he'd tell me the lot for one penny more_

_~So we sat by the fire and roasted marshmallows_

_~And for pennies two he told me all he had seen_

_~When he finished his tale he said something more_

_~'There's much more I've learned and I'd tell it for free.'_

_~More stories he told, too many to count_

_~Though not at all of the lands he did roam_

_~They were stories much simpler but great_

_~Tales of human goodness, from home_

_~He said to really live life you need not leave your door_

_~There's no price to pay for showing goodness_

_~Because what makes life good is an invaluable lore_

The next day I woke with ease knowing that James and I had patched things up, and just in time for his birthday. I had dressed and gone downstairs after finding, to my annoyance, everyone in my dorm still asleep. In fact, very few people were up. But amongst the ones that were was Gray and James. James was sitting across the room, and to get to him, I had to pass Gray. As I did, I overheard a snatch of his conversation Marc, another third year. One of them mentioned Quidditch, which reminded me about something. I walked cheerfully over to James and sat down. I put my hand on his knee and gave it a little squeeze.

'Happy Birthday,' I said. He smiled at me and ruffled my hair.

'Happy Birthday,' he replied, and I stared at him in confusion.

'It's not my birthday,' I said.

'So?'

I shook my head.

'Do I get a present?' James asked, not one to beat around the bush.

'No. You can wait,' I told him. 'Since we haven't been talking, you never told me. How did Quidditch tryouts go?'

The look James gave me was one of complete shock. He swore very badly.

'Am I missing something here?' I asked.

'I don't know, but I did,' James groaned.

'What do you mean?'

Then it hit me. I burst out laughing.

'You forgot to go?' I laughed, finding it absolutely hilarious. 'Oh my god, how could you do that?'

James gave me a disgusted look.

'I was too busy pretending to be mad at you,' James said chestily.

I was still losing it.

'I can't believe you forgot to go to Quidditch tryouts! This is so funny!'

'Somehow I don't think I'll ever live this down.'

'No, you won't,' I agreed, wiping tears from my eyes. 'Nor have I forgotten that beautiful grass hula skirt of yours.'

'Nor have I forgotten when you proposed to me,' he smirked in reply. 

'Oh, but don't forget how you proposed first. When we had the pillow fight?'

'You refused,' he said with slight annoyance. 'On the other hand, I never gave you an answer.'

'No, you didn't,' I laughed.

'And what would you do if I said yes?' he asked slyly.

'That all depends on what you do say,' I shot back.

'Yes, Lily - I will marry you.'

I sat up a little straighter and raised an eyebrow at him.

'James, you have just made me happy beyond my wildest dreams. I have waited for this day all my life.'

'OK. That's all decided. Now can we skip the whole wedding thing and go make out?'

'Why Jamsie, I never knew you felt that way,' I grinned.

'That was the think-about-sex-every-three-seconds part of me speaking. Though despite the fact that you are my best friend and I shouldn't think of you in this way, I must admit that you are pretty hot.'

'Even my friends can't resist me,' I joked.

'No joke,' James said, playing with my hair. 'You are pretty, Lily. Guys would kill to go out with you.'

'You have to say that because you're my friend.'

'Actually I'm meant to refrain from saying it because you're my friend. But just because I don't like you in that way doesn't mean I can't think you look good.'

'And you find me attractive?' I asked doubtfully.

'Yes, Lily. Why do you sound so dubious?'

'Because I'm ugly,' I told him, frowning.

'No you're not.'

'Yes I am. Especially next to Mr Sex God of Hogwarts.'

'You think I'm a sex god?'

'Did I say that?'

'I think you did.'

'OK then. Whatever.'

I gave a small laugh. Even when he was being serious, there was just something about James's manner that was always humorous.

'Sirius will want to be best man,' I told James absently, pulling the elastic from my wrist and tying back my hair. He frowned as the lock he had been playing with was tugged from his fingers.

'Uh-huh. And your bridesmaids?'

'Bella, Hilary and Joey.'

'Wicked,' James grinned. 'Don't mind me asking, but since the clothing side of things is really quite expensive - can we go naked?'

I gave him a repulsed look.

'Three seconds?' I asked weakly. He laughed.

'Yeah. Another three second moment. Apologies.'

I leaned back and looked at James. After a moment of him watching me back, I shook my head in amusement and began to laugh quietly.

'What?' he asked warily.

'You forgot Quidditch try-outs,' I wheezed.

'Not this again,' he sighed.

'Yes this again! It's hilarious!'

'What's hilarious?' Hilary asked groggily, trudging down the stairs. I feigned shock.

'Oh my goodness! James, your sister is out of bed before ten o'clock on a weekend! This is wrongness!'

'It's shocking, anyhows,' James agreed. 'Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?'

'It's me, Hilary, and I don't know what I am doing up. But I woke and I couldn't get back to sleep so I thought I'd come down here and wallow in solitariness, but now my noisy brother and friend are down here so I'm devising another plan. Speaking of, what _are_ you two doing? It's early, even for you, James.'

'Yup. I was the first up. I came and sat down here to think and wallow in self pity.'

'And I came down a little later to wallow in both self pity _and_ solitariness, but everyone else in this room sufficiently put and end to that,' I finished.

'Interesting,' Hilary said dryly, yawning. 'Well, I think I'll go back up to bed, and leave you two to make out. Oh yeah - Happy Birthday.'

'Bye,' James said cheerily.

'Have fun,' I told her.

'Can we make out now?' James whined playfully once Hilary had disappeared upstairs. I glanced at my watch.

'Yep - three second moment again. We need to teach you how to control these hormones of yours,' I sighed.

'We can do that after we make out,' he said distractedly. I stood up and he pulled me into his lap.

'Did you have Divination yesterday?' I asked conversationally. James already had his fingers at my hair, running a lock through his fingertips idly. I laughed inwardly at his obsession with my hair.

'Yeah. It's absolutely ridiculous. Everytime she interprets something to do with me it's either some sappy love fairytale or a tragic death epic.'

Although I couldn't see his face, I could imagine him rolling his eyes.

'And true love is below James Potter?' I asked, eyebrows raised.

'Lily, have you ever heard a true story about a perfect love? There is no perfect love. Love equals complications. In fact, relationship equals complications.'

'Such a morbid person you are,' I sighed, entwining my fingers with his.

'You believe in true love?' he asked sarcastically.

'Every girl dreams of falling in love. Finding some Prince Charming to come sweep her off her feet,' I said. 

James snorted.

'James, having the perfect love doesn't necessarily mean there's no complications. If a love had no complications, then _that couldn't be perfect. Because things you don't have to work for are never as satisfying. Without complications, love would be too easy, and there would be nothing special about being in love.'_

'You think too much,' James scowled. 'Anyway, I'm a thirteen year old boy and it is in the way of thirteen year old boys to think love is sissy girl sap.' 

I turned around to look at him, smiling in an amused way.

'I'm beginning to think I don't really like the idea of you being a thirteen year old boy.'

* * *

Later that day I was walking down to the library, hoping to get ahead of my homework. I had nothing better to do; Bella and Hilary had disappeared to god knows where and the guys had headed off to Hogsmeade to celebrate both the fact that they were now third years allowed to visit Hogsmeade, and of course dear old Jamsie's birthday. This left me with some free time and a pile of assignments that I decided I should make a start on.

However, on my way to the library, I was pulled into an empty classroom by an invisible force. I was about to yell out when a hand was clamped over my mouth, and James appeared out from underneath the invisibility cloak.

'What the hell are you doing?' I hissed. 'You scared the hell out of me!'

James grinned.

'It's my birthday, I can do what I like.'

'Yeah, well the birthday boy is supposed to be in Hogsmeade celebrating said birthday. Why aren't you?'

He trembled his lip and gave me puppy eyes.

'But it's not fun without you, Wiwy.'

I raised an eyebrow doubtfully.

'I'm sure it's extremely fun, without me or not,' I told him.

'Nope, it's not. Which is why you have to come.'

'I can't,' I said flatly.

'Under the cloak. Come on, Lily,' James pleaded.

'James, under the cloak or not, I'm not allowed to be there. And besides, someone there is bound to recognise me and dob me in.'

'You're no fun,' he frowned, pushing my hair away from my face. I put up my hand to grab his. He looked at me questioningly. I slowly lowered our hands.

'I'm not like you, James. I'm not a big risk taker, or rule breaker. Call me a goody-two-shoes, but if that's what I am, then I'm sorry, but it's all that I can be. I don't get the thrill you do when you know what you're doing is chancy. I don't _like_ getting detentions. And I'm sorry, but I'm not going to Hogsmeade with you.'

James seemed to consider this for a little while.

'Then we'll do something we're _allowed to do,' he said finally, looking satisfied with his plan._

'What about Hogsmeade?'

'I've spent half the day with the guys at Hogsmeade, now I can spend some time with you at school.'

I smiled.

'What about your girlfriend?'

James ran a hand through his hair.

'Don't tell anybody, but...' He leant a little closer. 'I'm currently single.'

My eyes opened wide.

'James Potter? Single? You have _got to be joking!'_

'Ha ha,' he said dryly.

'So, what do you have in mind?'

'Can we do _anything_ I want?' he asked.

'Anything that won't get us in trouble.'

'OK. Come on!'

James grabbed my hand and began pulling me out of the class and down the hall.

'Where are we going?' I asked warily.

'To the Quidditch pitch!' he replied happily.

I groaned.

'I should have known,' I sighed, as I allowed James to drag me down to the Quidditch Pitch.

Once we were out on the grounds, I realised something.

'James, we don't have brooms,' I told him. 

He looked at me in shock.

'I know. We're not going to be flying. I didn't think you'd want to.'

'Well what are we doing then?' I frowned.

'We're going to watch,' he said. 

It was then that we got near enough for me to see into the stadium. It appeared that the Gryffindor Quidditch team were practicing.

'Are we allowed to watch?' I asked hesitantly as we began to walk through the stands.

'Yep,' said James, sitting down and pulling me into the seat next to him.

We had been watching the practice for a few minutes when one of the players flew over to hover in front of James and I. I recognised him as a third year.

'Hey, Potter! Why weren't you at try outs the other day?'

'Caught up in personal difficulties,' James called back.

'You still after the seeker position?'

James's face immediately lit up. My gaze travelled between the two boys with interest.

'Yeah. Why?'

The third year grinned. He looked over his shoulder and called to one of the other players, who flew over.

'Potter, I suspect you know KP.'

James nodded. 

Everyone knew KP, even me. It was what they called Daniel Kirkpatrick, the Gryffindor Quidditch team captain. He was a seventh year, and one of the chasers on the team.

'Cummings told me you were interested in being a seeker, Potter. Why didn't you come to try outs?'

'Caught up in personal difficulties,' James repeated with a grin. 

'You still interested?'

'You haven't filled the position?' 

'Only out of necessity. We can't play without one. But if you could do better... Interested?'

James grinned, and I could see how much he had really wanted to play.

'Of course.'

'We practice tomorrow, same time,' KP told him, also smiling broadly. 'We'll see what you've got. Cummings tells me you're pretty good in the air.'

KP turned to Cummings.

'We better get back to work. See you tomorrow, Potter.' He looked at me. 'Evans.'

I opened me mouth to ask how he knew my name, but he answered before I could.

'Prefect. Seen you around quite a bit,' he laughed. 'Happy Birthday, Potter.'

And with that, the pair flew back to the rest of the team.

James stared, awestruck, after them. Then, he slowly turned his head towards me.

'Congratulations,' I told him.

'This is the best birthday present ever!' he said.

'Even better than mine?' I joked.

'Oh, apologies. The second best birthday present ever,' he grinned.

'Hey, you haven't made the team yet,' I told him, but we both knew he had as good as.

'I feel like kissing someone,' he said out of the blue. We both looked at each other, then cracked up laughing, looking disgusted.

'I didn't mean you,' he laughed. 'I need a girlfriend.'

I rolled my eyes.

'You don't _need_ a girlfriend, you _want_ a girlfriend, James. In fact, I'd like to see you go a week without a girlfriend. But how can you date other people while you have a crush on someone else?'

James blushed slightly. It wasn't very noticeable, but I could always tell.

'Tara's still going out with Nick.'

'_Still?_' I asked, surprised. 'She seems like the type to be changing partners every week, too.'

'Oh, they've been on and off. But they're kinda serious.'

'James, they're thirteen. They can't get serious at thirteen,' I sighed. 

'You're saying thirteen year olds don't know what...' He stopped himself.

I rolled my eyes at his avoidance of the big 'L' word.

'Yes, James. I am saying that thirteen year olds don't know what love is. It's stupid. Relationships up until about the age of seventeen are pretty much just based on lust.'

'You're a morbid person,' James grumbled. 'But I agree with you.'

I gave a laugh.

'Excuse me? My whole insight on this is that twelve and thirteen is too young to be dating people! You've been going out with people since you were eight!'

'Not out of free will. My parents got me started and it's just habit,' he defended.

'This conversation is really pointless. We've had it several times and it always ends up the same.'

'True,' James said.

'A horrible truth coming from an excellent liar,' I replied, resting my head on his shoulder. He shrugged it off, but I could tell he didn't really mind. He just didn't think it was in the way of thirteen year old boys to have girls leaning their heads on his shoulder.

'I have Quidditch try outs tomorrow,' he told himself. 

I giggled.

'Let me guess, tomorrow is going to be a great day?'

'Tomorrow is the autumn equinox,' he said randomly. After the words left his mouth, he seemed to instantly regret them.

'Sorry,' he said.

'It's alright,' I assured him.

'You know, we're studying solstices and equinoxes in Astronomy,' James sighed. 'It's kind of depressing listening to Celesta go on about it.'

'I bet it is,' I agreed.

'Stupid astronomy,' he grumbled. 'Almost as bad as Divination.'

'I thought you loved Divination,' I said with sarcasm.

'Sirius likes it. He gets to use that crazy imagination of his.'

James had stood.

'Want to go back to the castle?'

I nodded; it was rather cool outside, especially since it was nearly winter.

We began to trudge slowly out of the stands. After a minute of silence, I began to giggle.

'You're in a giggly mood today, aren't you?' James asked, amused.

'Yes,' I grinned. 'I just still can't believe you forgot about Quidditch try outs!'

James rolled his eyes again.

'And I can't believe I forgot Quidditch try outs and still somehow managed to wangle a position on the team.'

'Don't you think that means I'm going to stop teasing you about this,' I warned.

'I was hoping it did. Damn,' he replied. I grinned and flung and arm around his shoulder.

'Aww, poor iddle widdle Jamsie,' I cooed. He tried to pry me off, but he was grinning. 

When we reached the castle, I decided to head back to the library to do the little homework I had time for. James ran off to the tower to see if the boys had come back yet, so he could tell them about Quidditch try outs. On my way, I passed the classroom James had pulled me into earlier, and noticed something silvery on the ground.

The invisibility cloak.

Sighing, I walked over and picked it up, folding it and shoving it into my bag. A mischievous smirk formed over my face. I had the feeling the guys would soon be missing it.

But for now, they could suffer.

_~*~*~*~*~AUTHORS NOTE~*~*~*~*~_

Hi guys! Guess what? My mum cut all my beautiful hair off! :'( *breaks down and cries*

OK, now I got that out of the way, lol, um... oh yeah! I remember! I was going to blab on about how sorry i am that this chapter is boring. And then I wanted to tell you something else... *thinks really hard*

OK! Here we go - I was really bored, OK? And on dollz right, I made all the characters. And my friend goes, ohhhhhhhhh you should make a quiz and have those little people as the little pics that you get on the net when you get the quiz results if you know what I mean. So i made a quiz with the little picture people!!! and they're pretty gay but i thought you might be interested! Eventually ill put it on my site but for now its down so if you want 2 do it answer the questions in an email (_hot_sezzy_babe_ @hotmail. com)_ and I'll send you back the pic! Is that cool? Tell me if its gay coz it probably is but i think theyre kinda cute. So here's the first quiz:_

_Which WTTEOAMB character are you?_

_1. Based on your nature (think Firregaze, and Lily being a fox) what animal do you think you are? What qualities connected with this animal relate to you?_

_2. Describe yourself in five words._

_3. How would you describe your sense of humour (funny, sarcastic, witty, silly)?_

_4. Be honest... have you ever made fun of another person's differences? To what extent (laughing behind their back, commenting, taunting)?_

_5. Put the following in your order of importance: sports, friends, power, popularity, acceptance, security, love, perfection, chaos, the opposite sex._

_6. Out of the following, what do you think your appearance communicates?_

_$__        tough/rough/slick/cool_

_$__        I'm shy, leave me alone/conservative_

_$__        bright/colourful/happy_

_$__        Nerdy/thoughtful/studious_

_$__        Bitchy/skanky/ho-ish/slutty_

_$__        Tomboy/sporty/careless_

_$__        Average_

_7.  Describe your favourite outfit._

_8. What is your favourite subject at school (not at Hogwarts, at everyday school)?_

_9. You're off work for the night. What do you do for the evening?_

_10. Consider this hypothetical situation. You're pregnant, and you are no longer in a relationship with the father. Your parents are strict, and your best friend is now dating the father of your child. Out of the father, your parents, and your best friend - in what order do you tell them about your pregnancy, and why in that order?_

_11. Order the following in the likeliness of you ever possessing, achieving, or participating in: smoking, sex, sport, fight, love, success, pranking, driving, poverty, fame, jail sentence, murder, theft. _

_12. Do you like to flirt? Hang around with guys?_

_13. Give me a brief run-down on your interests, and tell me any extra information that you believe is a key aspect of your personality._

I also have made "which world thru the eyes of a muggle born social circle do u belong to" but its not quite finished so it'll be up soon lol. Tell me if you like this one.

Bye bye

SezZie


	7. Lost Lily

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ Lost Lily ~*~

_~Where have you gone_

_~Why did you leave me here_

_~Alone_

_~When you've never left my side before_

_~I miss you more_

_~Than you could know_

_~Or even understand_

_~And since you left me_

_~There's been a part missing_

_~In my life_

_~So please come home soon_

_~Don't leave me here_

_~Alone_

The next day, James was up bright and early, excited about his Quidditch try outs. He barely ate during lunch, and as soon as it was time, he dashed outside after making us all promise that we would come and watch. I promised, along with everyone else, but I decided I was going to have some fun.

I did indeed go down to the Quidditch pitch to watch James, but I did so underneath his invisibility cloak. When I got down there, Sirius, Remus, Peter and Bella were there. Hilary had refused to go, exclaiming loudly that she didn't give a stuff about Quidditch. 

James had flown over to them on his broom, and was talking to Bella.

'Where's Lily?' he asked, and my lips curled into a smile as a took a seat in the row behind her.

'I don't know,' Bella said honestly. 'James, she of all people would be here if she could.'

James was frowning.

'She was at breakfast,' he said.

'I know,' replied Bella.

It was cruel what I was doing, I know. But it was funny, and pay back for all the times James had annoyed me with his stupid cloak.

'Potter! Get over here!' yelled KP from the centre of the pitch.

James ran a hand through his hair, looking troubled.

'Why didn't she come?' he asked himself before flying off.

'Are you sure you haven't seen Lily?' Remus asked once James had left.

'Yes, I'm sure!' Bella insisted. 'I haven't seen her since breakfast. And it's not like her. She wouldn't deliberately not come to James's practice.'

'Well she's not here, is she?' Sirius said sarcastically.

Just then, James took off around the pitch. 

The snitch had been released. 

'Come on James!' Bella yelled encouragingly, standing.

Sirius laughed and pulled her back into her seat.

'Settle down, Figg,' he said.

I watched admiringly as James soared after the little golden ball, gaining quickly. His skill was obvious, even to someone like me who didn't particularly follow the sport. His broom responded to the slightest movement, and his balance was amazing. I felt guilty knowing that he thought I wasn't there.

About a minute later, and James had the snitch grasped in his fist. He flew over to KP, grinning broadly, and they began to talk. I couldn't tell what they were saying, but I presumed it was good. For one, they were speaking animatedly. Second, James had done very well if you asked me.

By now The boys and Bella were all standing, discussing how quickly he had caught the snitch and that he was undoubtedly on the team. I smiled, wanting to go and congratulate him. But I couldn't, not yet.

I waited a few minutes more until James flew over, grinning proudly, to confirm that he had indeed made the team.

'Oh my god! Wicked!' Bella said, excited. 'That is so cool!'

'Lucky duck,' Sirius grinned, slapping James on the back.

Leaving them to congratulate him, I made my way back to the castle. It was kind of nice to know that James had been bothered that I wasn't there. It made me feel wanted, if you know what I mean. 

I went straight to the tower and folded the cloak away up in my dorm, before dashing downstairs to the common room, with a book. I had been reading for about ten minutes when they all came in. 

They had crawled in the portrait hole talking, but when James noticed me, he stopped. Remus looked over at me and immediately suggested to Sirius and Peter that they go upstairs. Bella mouthed a 'where the hell were you?' at me before following suit and going up to our dorm. James ran a hand through his hair.

'Hi,' he said.

'Hello,' I replied evenly. 'Congratulations on making the team.'

He watched me for a moment.

'Why weren't you there?' he asked quietly.

'I was,' I told him, acting surprised.

'You weren't in the stands. You didn't come up and talk to me when it finished.'

'I didn't know I was supposed to.'

'You're telling me you were there the whole time, yet I never saw you, and it never once crossed your mind to come and talk to me?'

'Well, yes and no,' I said slowly.

'What is that supposed to mean?'

'It means that yes, I was there the whole time and you never saw me. But it did actually cross my mind to go up and congratulate you. I just didn't.'

'Where were you sitting?' he asked dubiously.

'Behind Bella,' I replied.

'No you weren't! Lily, if you forgot, just tell me! But don't say you were there when you weren't!' he said, annoyed. 'You weren't behind Bella when I started, or when I finished.'

'I was there the whole time,' I said quietly.

'Lily, I know you weren't there, OK? Just admit that you didn't come,' James snapped, frustrated.

'I didn't realise it was that important that I was there,' I said calmly.

James shot me a look.

'Yes, it was important! It was important to me, and I thought it was important to you! How is it that your best friend could make it, but my own best friend couldn't?'

He was getting quite worked up about it. It was all mildly amusing.

'I did make it, James. I saw the whole thing. Your little loop-the-loop. Your dive. You caught it in about five minutes, didn't you?'

He looked severely frustrated, and extremely puzzled.

'I don't get it, Lily,' he sighed. 

'Come sit,' I said, patting the couch next to me. James relented and sat.

'I was there the whole time. I was a little late, and I left a little early, but I watched all of your practice.'

'They never saw you,' he protested.

'That's because I was under the invisibility cloak,' I laughed softly. James looked at me incredulously.

'What did you do that for?'

'Because I could,' I said amusedly.

'How did you get the cloak?' he frowned. I poked him in the chest.

'_You_ left it in the classroom yesterday. You were lucky I found it, and not somebody else.'

'So you were there the whole time?'

'Yes, James.'

'Why didn't you just say so?' he laughed, relaxing.

'Because I wanted to see your reaction.'

'You're a naughty little witch, you know that?' he said evilly, tickling me.

'Yep,' I laughed.

'A naughty little fox.'

Suddenly, I stopped. James noticed me freeze, and paused in his tickling.

'What is it?' he asked.

I sat up a little more.

'James, Firregaze is still missing. I haven't seen him since...' I trailed off.

'Have you asked the Ambitometer?'

I felt incredibly stupid. The whole time, I had this silly little thing that answered questions and not once had it crossed my mind to ask it about Firregaze. 

I reached into my robes and pulled it out. I carried it everywhere with me; it was just a habit I had grown into. 

'Then again, it'll probably just give you a load of nonsense like usual,' James said dryly, sighing as I brushed some lint off its surface. The little world inside that had been wild and snowy when I had first looked at the Ambitometer was now green and sunny. 

Before I had even focused on the question, the phoenix began to make its way around the outer circle.

_Soft and light the feet must tread_

_Make the way to a place of dread_

_Journey made by night and day_

_By the heart it makes the way_

_Necessary, though tough and slow_

_Where all ends no human may go_

I read it aloud as it went, so that James could listen.

'I don't think you're meant to look for him,' he said simply when it finished. 'It sounds like he's going on some pilgrimage.'

For some reason tears were welling in my eyes, and I felt like crying.

'What's wrong?' James asked in alarm.

'I don't know. But I miss him, James. I went eleven years without him, I know - but ever since he came to me he's been like a shadow. A best friend. I can't explain it - it's like he's a part of me. We have some kind of connection. It's like when I'm sad, he's sad too...'

'Well cheer up, so that he feels happy,' James suggested.

'I was happy,' I sniffed. 'I think he's sad.'

'Maybe you should write to Raul.'

I nodded.__

_'I - I'm going to go see Dumbledore,' I said suddenly._

'Do you want me to come?' he asked.

I shook my head.

'No. I'll be back soon. Can you tell Bella and Hilary where I am if they come down?'

'Yeah. Are you sure you don't want me to come?'

I nodded again.

'I'll be back soon.'

I slowly made my way to Dumbledore's office, not really paying attention to where I was going but somehow finding my way anyhow. When I reached the gargoyle, I cursed under my breath. 

I didn't know the password.

'Miss Evans?' asked a voice. I turned to face McGonagall.

'Yes, Professor?'

'Is there a reason for you being here?'

'I was hoping to speak to Professor Dumbledore,' I said, although I was pretty sure she would send me away. She studied me for a minute.

'Yes... I think he was expecting you,' she replied, somewhat sadly. I was slightly confused at her behaviour.

'Sugar quill,' she told the gargoyle, and it jumped out of the way.

'Off you go, Miss Evans.'

'Thank you, Professor,' I said, stepping inside as McGonagall continued down the hall.

Slightly timid, I made my way up the short corridor to the next door. Still unsure of exactly why I had come to Dumbledore, I knocked three times, then withdrew my hand, taking a deep breath.

'Come in,' came Dumbledore's voice from within, and the door opened slightly. I stepped in.

'Ah. Miss Evans,' he said lightly, blue eyes twinkling.

'Professor,' I greeted, dipping my head. 'I...'

'I believe I know what you are here for. Several things, I think.'

I remained silent.

'Come and take a seat. Hot chocolate?'

As I sat down, he conjured two cups of hot chocolate. He pushed one towards me, and I accepted, still trying to think of some explanation for my being there.

'Now. I do believe one of the reasons you are here is because of your daemon.'

I nodded.

'He's been missing for awhile, and the Ambitometer -'

'So you have been using it?' interrupted Dumbledore. 'Very good. Continue.'

'And the Ambitometer said he'd gone on some journey or something, but that no humans could go there.'

'Mmm,' said Dumbledore. 

At first I thought it was in reference to his hot chocolate, but then I realised he was thinking.

'In all truth, I have no idea what has happened to him,' he said after awhile, showing his palms. 

I nodded my head. After all, it was what I had expected. 

But then I realised, no - it wasn't at all what I had expected. I had expected Dumbledore to have an answer. A solution. Like he always seemed to.

'I sense there was another reason for your visit, however,' he continued, and I looked up at him. 

'No there isn -'

I stopped.

Or was there?

'Something has troubled you ever since your last visit, Lily. More so than the others.'

'There was one thing...' I said quietly. Dumbledore looked at me, encouraging me to continue.

'I never knew my father. I only really know two things about him for sure.'

'And what are they?' he asked kindly.

'Well, for one - he's a wizard. He has to be.'

Dumbledore nodded.

'And... well, I think... I know his name,' I said, tucking some hair behind my ear somewhat nervously. I looked up from my hands to Dumbledore, and noticed that he looked a little more interested. But he remained silent.

'But since I don't know much about him, there's a lot of possibilities left to consider. And the Sorting Hat, I know it put me in Gryffindor, but I was thinking - it wanted to put me in Ravenclaw, too, but then it said that I'd do well in Slytherin. And I couldn't help wondering...' I trailed off, thinking I was rambling, and that what I was saying was rather silly. It was all just spilling out of my mouth.

'You were wondering if you could be the heir of Slytherin,' Dumbeldore finished. I nodded, my eyes looking down at the floor.

It was true. It had been bothering for me awhile.

'Lily, there are four of you. It is possible that three of you are the heir of Slytherin. You are all good people, so why does it bother you?'

'Because I know them. They don't seem Slytherin-ish.'

'And you think you do?' Dumbledore asked, eyebrows slightly raised.

'That's it!' I said, my voice rising. 'I don't know myself anymore! I thought I did! I thought I knew who my father was, but it turned out he was never my father. I thought I was an average girl, but it turned out I was a witch. After that I thought I was an average witch, but then it turns out I'm one of _them!_ I feel like I don't know anything about myself at all!'

Dumbledore looked at me quite calmly.

'What do you want me to do, Lily? Confirm your fears? Or lie to you, and leave something else for you to uncover and unsettle you later on?'

'I want to know the truth,' I told him.

'But before I tell you, I want to understand why this worries you. Do you think your ancestors affect you as a person? Because think about this: the four of you represent four different heirs of four different houses, yet you are all in Gryffindor.'

'It doesn't matter,' I muttered angrily. 'I just want to know who my father is.'

'Why? What would come of it?'

I stood up, angrier than I had ever been before. And the thing that scared me was that I didn't know why.

'What would come of it? I'd know who I am, that's what! It would be one mystery crossed off the list. Because somehow, I'm going to work it all out. And if you don't tell me, I'll find someone else who will.'

Dumbledore regarded me over his half-moon spectacles. He heaved a deep sigh.

'Very well. Sit down.'

I slowly lowered myself back into the chair.

'You are the heir of Slytherin.'

I expected to feel shocked, or upset, but to my surprise I felt nothing. I had been anticipating it.

'Your father is Tom Riddle, as you said you knew.'

I nodded.

'What you probably didn't know, is his new identity. You may know him as Voldemort.'

My heart skipped a beat at that name. Where had I heard it before?

_"You Know Who is a Dark wizard. His real name's Voldemort, but most people are too afraid to speak it. He's not the worst wizard ever, but he's bad. And he's getting worse. A few people dead every fortnight. No one can catch him. They reckon if they don't get him under control soon he might get worse and worse, even worse than Grindewald..."_

Something inside of me froze, the chill spreading through my body like venom. Voldemort. He was responsible for people dying. Bella's dad, April's dad, Gray's...

'Why?' I asked, throat dry. 'Why me? Why him?'

'Because it was meant to be,' Dumbledore said gently. 'It was highly unlikely the heirs would ever return to Hogwarts together. It was more likely the blood of the original founders would filter out completely. But as you know, it was prophesied that one day, all four would return to Hogwarts. Together. And the fate of the school depended on their unity. Backgrounds don't matter, Lily. What matters is that you and your friends do what is right -'

'_I DON'T CARE!_' I said angrily, all of a sudden, springing to my feet again. I had hot tears in my eyes, and my ears were burning. How could I be related to... to... _him?_

'But you do,' Dumbledore contradicted.

'No I don't! I don't want to be one! I want to be normal! Not one of... them!'

'In actual fact, you want to be one so much you feel guilty at the thought.'

'And why would I want to be one?' I asked angrily.

'Because it means you aren't a muggle born,' he said quite simply. I stopped and looked at him in disbelief. Dumbledore continued.

'There was nothing you wanted more than anything else than to fit in. And now you do.'

'But I'm related to... to _him! I don't want anything to do with him!' I shouted. _

'Yes you do,' Dumbledore repeated softly. 'It pains you that you do, but you do nonetheless. Deep down, you love him to bits for being your father.'

And I knew that what he was saying was true. I was secretly elated that I wasn't a muggle born, and the fact that I was made me feel extremely penitent.

'Why did it have to be me?' I whispered.

'Because, Lily, everything is changing. We are heading for dark times, and we have been for a long time now. There is good and evil in the world, and the two are lining up for battle. And you and your friends are at the heart of it all. Because it is you four, and you four alone, who can change things. And it's extremely hard, but it is what must be done. You four were chosen for a reason. Because you have the heart to do what you are destined to do.'

I sat silently for a minute, my hands shaking.

'He killed people,' I said, trying to keep my tone level.

'Yes, he did - you did not. You're not like him, Lily.'

'But what if I am? We don't have a say about looking like our parents. What if I don't get a say in being like him?' 

I couldn't believe this. I was crying again. What was my problem?

I wiped the tears away angrily.

'Do you know for sure that it's us? Surely other people have their birthdays on the same day...'

'Yes, but others are not heirs to Slytherin,' Dumbledore sighed. 'Nor Gryffindor.'

I lowered my head, chewing my lip.

'I wish I never knew,' I said sulkily.

'But do you? Would you have rather have found out later? Another horrible truth that had been kept from you? I do admit that I regret that this burden has been placed on you. But in your case, at least, I think it was for the best.'

I sighed, knowing he was right. Again.

'I hate him,' I said suddenly.

'You never knew him,' Dumbledore pointed out. I raised my eyes to meet his.

'And I'm glad. He's horrible.'

'He is,' Dumbledore agreed, 'but think. Without him, you wouldn't be here.'

'But people would be happy,' I replied quietly.

'Your friends wouldn't miss you?'

'They wouldn't have known me in the first place.'

'True, but things happen for a reason, Lily. I suggest you go back up to Gryffindor tower and try to put this behind you. Go and be with your friends.'

I glared at him, not caring that he was the Headmaster. Words were spilling out of my mouth. I knew people would have been surprised to hear quiet little Lily talking how I was, and to the headmaster at that.

'Do you think I can face them? Knowing what I've done to them?'

'You haven't done anything to them, Lily,' he said gently.

'I can't look at them! Knowing what he did to them! Knowing my father killed Bella's father, or Hilary and James's aunt, or Gray's -'

'Lily,' Dumbledore said, quietly but firmly. I fell quiet.

'Your friends are good people. I am sure that they will more than understand what you are going through, and definitely not will they think any the less of you. And I am sorry that I could not assist you in finding your daemon,' he added kindly, opening the door. Sighing, I walked out.

'Good day, Miss Evans.'

'Good day, Professor,' I mumbled.

Again, I wasn't paying attention where I was going, but somehow I ended up at the Portrait Hole. I glumly gave the password and scrambled in, ignoring James's greeting as I walked blindly past him, tears blurring my vision. All I could think about was getting up into my dormitory and into my bed.

Thankful to find the room empty, I flopped down on my bed, raising my head only long enough to yank the curtains closed before burying it in my pillow. I gave a loud sniff before I stopped holding the tears back, and the salty drops flowed down my face, soaking my pillow and my clothes. But it wasn't poor, plain, muggle born Lily. It was poor, plain, half blood Lily. The lost girl with the fiery hair and cats eyes, and pure venom running through her veins and spreading through her like wildfire. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hi guys. I re-wrote this chapter like 4 times and im still not that happy with it but oh well. And sorry if lily's little outburst sounds like haryy in OotP. Like mother like son I guess.

Thanks all u guys that did the quiz!!!

Well gotta go 

SezZie


	8. Ariel

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ Ariel ~*~  

_~When the shadow seems too dark_

_~When the river seems too deep_

_~When the price seems too high_

_~When the mountain seems too steep_

_~Remember..._

_~One light could clear the night_

_~One pole could reach the base_

_~One coin could change the cost_

_~One person can set the pace_

_~So..._

_~When it seems like nothing's working_

_~When all your tears have been cried_

_~Dry your face and rest in peace_

_~Just knowing that you tried_

I avoided everyone for a long while after that. I knew Bella and Hilary were distressed that I was ignoring them, especially since it must have seemed obvious something was wrong. Only James had the faintest idea why. He knew it had something to do with what had happened in Dumbledore's office, just not what. But, to my gratefulness, he didn't tell the others that I had been to see the Headmaster.

'Lily, for god's sakes! Tell me what's wrong!' Bella growled, blocking the exit from the dormitory. I avoided her eyes and remained silent. I felt pain everytime I looked at her. Everytime I saw the distant hurt in her eyes that had come with her father's death.

'Talk! Now! Stop shutting me out like this, OK? I'm sick of it! We're supposed to be your friends! Just talk to me! Please,' she begged, her voice dropping to a desperate whisper with the last word. Her olive eyes were slightly wet, but she was glaring defiantly at me. I chewed my lip.

'Please let me out,' I whispered, my voice hoarse from lack of speaking. 

'Not until you speak to me.'

'I can't, Belle. Please. Just let me out.'

'You don't have to tell me what it is if you don't want to. But just stop blocking everyone out like this. Talk to us again.'

'It's too hard,' I said quietly, pushing past her.

I didn't feel human, that week or so. Just a moving shell of one, with no one inside. Empty, and numb. I spoke only when I had to, and kept to myself at all costs, wishing dearly that Firregaze would come back. 

I was about two weeks into my vow of solitude when I was summoned to Dumbeldore's office. It was during a charms lesson, one in which Gray had taken to throwing paper airplanes at the back of my head, trying to get me to say something. Daniel Kirkpatrick had come in towards the middle of the lesson, explaining that the Headmaster wanted to see me. Eyes clouded with confusion, I followed him to Dumbledore's office.  

'Potter's worried about you, Evans,' KP sighed along the way. 'He wants you to come see him practise.'

Sighing, I turned to look at him.

'I do,' I told him quietly. 'Everyday.'

He left it at that.

When we reached the gargoyle, he muttered a password and it jumped aside.

'See you around, Evans. And I hope you cheer up. I don't know what's wrong, but Potter's sure concerned about you.'

Nodding dully, I stepped in and made my way through to the office. The door was already wide open.

Dumbledore was seated at his desk, fingers folded and eyes twinkling. In front of him sat a girl with her back to me. She had long, waist-length snow-white hair and was wearing pale blue robes and a muffler of grey fur.

'Lily. How have you been?'

'Good,' I answered as politely as I could. 

'Please take a seat,' he said, gesturing to the chair next to the girl's. I timidly sat down, sneaking several glances at the girl next to me. She smiled at me, and I saw her face. She had blue eyes and pale skin.

'This is Ariel Couer. She has come to us from Beauxbatons and will spend the next three weeks here.'

I nodded. Beauxbatons was another school similar to Hogwarts, over near France.

'Hi,' I said. 

'Bonjour.' 

'I was wondering, Miss Evans, if you would be responsible for showing Miss Couer around?'

'Professor, I -'

'Lily, I have noticed how withdrawn you have been and I have become quite concerned. I believe this will be good for you. I will not accept "no" as an answer.'

'Yes, Professor.'

'Ariel, this is Lily Evans. She's a second year also, so you should get on well.'

'Merci,' Ariel replied.

'Er, Professor... does she speak English?' I asked uncertainly.

'Indeed,' Dumbledore said with amusement.

Ariel laughed.

'Oui, Lily. Sorry. I do know Eenglish, it is just deeficult... very tempting to slip back into speaking French.'  

'Oh, I can understand,' I said. 'I know a little French, I learnt it in primary school...'

'That's excellent. You can teach each other,' Dumbledore said cheerfully, clapping his hands together, eyes twinkling merrily. 'Lily, why don't you spend as much time as you like and show Ariel around? She will be staying with you in Gryffindor Tower, by the way. A bed should have been placed in your dormitory this morning.'

I was about to ask him just how he had managed to fit an extra bed into our already full dormitory, but over the past days I had learnt to keep my mouth shut and it was now a habit I was finding hard to break. I hadn't thought it would be possible, but I wasn't used to talking! 

'Good day, Professor,' I sighed as we left. I pulled my hair behind my ears and turned to Ariel.

'Do you like your school?'

'Oui. It az a very cold climate, though. But ze uniform is nice and warm.'

'I like the colour,' I said conversationally. 

'Oui. It is nice,' Ariel agreed. 

'This is the Great Hall,' I told her, opening the door. 'We have all our meals in here. Sometimes we do other things, like dueling and that, but not very often.'

Suddenly, Mrs Norris came padding around the corner, mewing accusingly at us. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

'That's the caretaker's cat. His name's Filch and he's a real pain. Everybody hates him. I want to hit him sometimes. Seriously. Donnez-moi un bâton ainsi je peux aller battement la merde hors du Filch.' [Give me a stick so I can go beat the crap out of Filch]

Ariel laughed.

'Where did you learn zat?'

'Oh, at school one day this girl was annoying me while we were playing a game. So I asked my teacher how to say it, and she told me. So I went around saying "donnez-moi un bâton de softcrosse ainsi je peux aller battement la merde hors du Melanie", and it was really funny because she had no idea what I was saying,' I said, laughing.  

'I did somezing like zat in Eenglish. We like to find out funny phrases and use zem in front of ze uzzers who do not know Eenglish.'

'My best friend speaks Italian,' I said.

'Oh, oui. Italian.'

'This boy Gray, who I went out with, I think he knows French, too.'

'Do you 'ave a boyfriend?' Ariel asked.

'No, not at the moment.'

'Oh.'

'What about you?' I asked.

'No - I did, but we fell out very recently. I discovered he was only going out wiz me for a bet.'

'You're joking.'

'It is true,' she said sadly. 

'That must have been awful.'

Ariel nodded.

'_Quand vous réalisez quelqu'un non jamais inquiété de vous, vous commencez à vous demander si n'importe qui s'inquiète vraiment de vous du tout_,' she laughed. [When you realise someone never cared about you, you begin to wonder if you really matter to anyone at all.]

'I remember that. It was one of the first phrases we learnt in French. What is it from?'

'Oui, it is often a popular phrase to be taught. It is a quote from a great French philosopher.'

'It's kind of sad,' I commented.

'Oui, but true. It is very true.'

'I guess.'

'Lily!' called a voice suddenly. Ariel and I both turned around. It was Bella.

'Hi,' I mumbled. 'This is Ariel. Ariel, this is my best friend Bella.'

Bella snorted when I said best friend, but said nothing.

'Bonjour,' Ariel said, extending her hand. Bella shook it.

'What did Dumbeldore want, or can't you talk about that, either?' she asked, turning to me. I knew she was extremely frustrated that I was shying away.

'Ariel is here for a few weeks. Dumbledore wants me to show her around.'

Bella nodded.

'So you're not coming to Transfiguration?'

I shook my head.

'I'll... I'll take notes for you, I guess.'

'Thank you,' I said gratefully. As she turned to walk away, I called her name softly. She twisted her head around.

'I'm sorry,' I said quietly. To my relief, she gave me a small smile.

'Talk tonight?'

I took a deep breath, then nodded. I couldn't go on like this.

'Bye,' I said.

'Bye.'

Ariel and I left the Great Hall to find the corridors filled with students.

'I guess class is over. They'll have another class, then it'll be lunch time, and we'll have to come back here, so we won't go too far at the moment. I'll show you the things on this floor, and we can look at the rest of the castle later.'

'OK,' Ariel nodded, gazing around. 

I was about to show her to the girls bathroom when I saw James and Sirius out of the corner of my eye, heading in the opposite direction.

'Ariel, just wait here for a minute, OK?'

She nodded, and I strode quickly down the hall.

'James!' I called. 

He didn't hear at first, so I called again. This time he turned around.

'Lily?'

I couldn't think of anything to say, so instead I just ran up and hugged him.

'I am so sorry about how I've been acting lately. But I wasn't ready to talk about it, and I swear I've been to every single one of your practices, I've just sat where you can't see me and I'll tell you everything if you want -'

James put a finger to my lips and put a stop to the flow of words tumbling from my mouth.

'I'm glad you're feeling... better. You don't need to apologise. I knew you needed space, so I tried to give it to you. Don't feel guilty, you can only control your emotions to a certain extent.'

'I'm so sorry,' I said one more time, stepping back. 'I should have told you straight away, but I was upset and wanted to block everyone out... I'm not sure I can tell you what it is, but I promise I won't ignore you again!'

'We'll talk at lunch, OK? I have to go to class,' James said, Sirius tugging on his arm like a little kid to his mother.

I nodded.

'Bye.'

'See you,' James said, waving, and giving me a reassuring smile. I felt so much better once I had gotten that off my chest. 

I stood and watched James walking off down the hall, probably to Divination. After a moment I noticed Ariel had come to stand beside me.

'Who was zat?'

'Oh, my other best friend. James. He's a third year. You can meet him at lunch. Come on, and I'll show you the grand staircase...' 

* * *

I hadn't been looking forward to lunch. I got a torn feeling inside everytime I thought about telling my friends why I had been pushing them away. So that's why I decided I wasn't going to tell them. I was going to stop ignoring them and attempt to let things get back to normal, but I could never tell them. Because I feared their reactions.

'Lily? Fleur-de-lys?' asked Ariel hesitantly. 'It is alright if I sit with you, isn't it?'

'Of course,' I said, sitting down at Gryffindor table. The Hall had only a few people in it, as most classes hadn't been released yet. 'The others will be here soon.'

She sat down next to me. 

'So, do you have houses like us at your school? You know, like Gryffindor and all that?'

She shook her head. 

'We 'ave separate buildings for girls and boys. But we 'ave meals and lessons togezzer still. Apart from zat we are just one body of students.'

I nodded.

It was about then that what must have been the second year Gryffindors's Transfiguration class came into the Hall, because Bella and Hilary filtered in amongst others, whose faces I wasn't paying attention to. Taking a deep breath, I waved them over. Hilary shot a curious glance at Bella, but they both come over. They sat opposite Ariel and I.

'Hi,' Bella said cheerfully, as if everything was normal.

'Hello. Hilary, this is Ariel. She's from Beauxbatons.'

'Hi,' Hilary said, her eyes continually darting to mine.

'Bonjour. 'Ello,' Ariel replied, smiling at Hilary.

'Does this mean you're going to tell us what the hell has been wrong lately?' Hilary asked me, and Bella elbowed her.

'Don't worry, Lily. Leave it until you're ready.'

Hilary shot me a dark look before helping herself to some food.

I sighed. She was mad at me.

'Hey Lily,' said someone, draping an arm around my shoulders.

'Hey James,' I replied. 'Oh, by the way, this is Ariel. Ariel, this is James.'

'Are you new?' James asked. 

I shook my head.

'From Beauxbatons.'

'Hi,' he said. She smiled in return.

James put his arms around the back of my chair and joined them at the front, forming a loop around my neck.

'Your friend's pretty hot,' he murmured in my ear.

I rolled my eyes.

'Keep it in your pants, James,' I muttered back. 

He gave a small laugh.

'It's good to have the old Lily back,' he said quietly, before removing his arms and straightening up. 

'It's good to be back.'

I smiled to myself, and looked at James.

'Hey, Ariel. James thinks you're hot,' I said, rather loudly. I noticed Paige shoot me a glare and ignored it. James scowled and Ariel laughed.

'Ooh, Jamsie,' Sirius said, narrowing his eyes. 'This is not good when you have a girlfriend.'

'Like you don't check out girls,' James shot back. 

This seemed to put Sirius is his place, because he went back to eating his lunch. 

'This doesn't mean I have to stop teasing you, I hope you realise.'

'Oh, come off it, Lily. We all know you check out hot girls too,' James teased. Even Hilary snorted. 

Despite having been extremely reserved for over a fortnight, I was surprisingly finding it very easy to draw myself out of the little cocoon I had settled into.

'Jamsie! I have eyes only for you!' I insisted.

'Really?'

'But of course.'

'Oh. So that thing in the broom closet back there... that actually meant something to you?'

I couldn't hello myself there. I cracked up.

'Sssh, Jamsie. It's a secret,' I said when I recovered. 

'Oh. OK,' he said, winking.

It was then I realised how much my friends really meant to me. How much I had missed this.

'It's OK. If you had the heart to forgive me, I guess I have to forgive you,' I grinned, and blew him a kiss.

Man, it felt great to be back. And it felt great to have friends.

~~~~~~~~AUTHOR NOTE~~~~~~~~~~

OK I'm in a really bad mood. Dunno why. Hey, guess what? Don't ask me why, but I decided to tell my sports teacher that I couldn't do sport coz I'd sprained my eyebrow to see what he said and he actually found it funny. Hahahaha. OK now I'm just in a silly mood. Oh well. Better than mad. Breathe. Breathe.

Right. OK, I needed to say some stuff to people. Let me check my reviews. Hang on!

I'm good. OK. Here we go.

I shouldn't actually be telling you this, but the other two heirs are... nope. Sorry. Can't tell you. Hehehe I'm evil!

AND - I KNOW Sirius was a pure blood, but I started this story long before OotP and I'm not going to change it. I also know that James's parents were nice and it was Sirius's that weren't, but again, I didn't know this before.And you guys might have forgotten, but I think you should go back and look at chapter one of part one. It tells you all about her being related to Tom Riddle there.

BTW, Amelia Bedelia, you really need to update Light goddamn it! Argh! I got really annoyed coz the author just abandoned this story i was reading so I got really mad. Gimme more!

Breathe, Sarah. Breathe. Yes. I'm calm now.

Buh-byes!

~SezZie~

PS: Guess what? Out of my whole time writing this story, I got my first flame! And guess wot? I DON'T CARE! In fact, I found it mildly amusing. So go ahead and flame me if you want. NO ONE IS FORCING YOU TO READ THIS STORY. If it is such a stupid story, why did you bother to go through and read the whole thing? I mean, everyone's entitled to their opinion, but seriously. That flame left me a little miffed. Oh and by the way, I do quote "SezZie... what kind of person calls themselves that anyway" YOU DON'T GET TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN NAME, DO YOU? AND IF MY NAME HAPPENS TO BE SARAH AND MY FRIENDS HAPPEN TO CALL ME SEZZIE AND I HAPPEN TO LIKE THAT NAME THEN I THINK THERE IS NOTHING AGAINST ME USING IT. OK I'm good now. :D


	9. This Should Stop Now

**~*~aUtHoR's NoTe~*~**

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Alrighty. I need to settle something once and for all. This is mostly for my new resident flamer, but it might pay for everyone else to read this too, coz this applies to everyone reading this story and there's a few explanations for a few things too. 

Firstly, I would like to make a few points.

**1. I ****KNOW I am no JK Rowling. I also realise that a lot of the points in this story are way-off and improbable. I have two excuses for that. One - I began this **WAY **before OotP came out. Two, the whole idea of FanFic writing is that you get a bit of a license to change things around. **

**2. ****DON'T DISS MY NAME. I happen to think flamer is a really stupid and unoriginal name. So there. Also, **DO NOT DISS MY REVIEWERS'S NAMES. **May I explain that names such as "Princess" and "Siri's Girl" are merely for fanatical or lyrical purposes? In other words, for fun. We KNOW they aren't our real names. If I wanted, I could take the crap out of the name flamer. But I'm not that kind of person. However I will state that I know for sure that it is not YOUR real name. **

**3. ****DON'T DISS BLONDES. We can't really chose our hair colour. And I happen to be blonde.**

**4. ****LEAVE MY REVIEWERS ALONE. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. If they like my story, then that's OK. Just like you are allowed to not like my story. If you don't like my story, leave it at that. Don't diss my reviewers. They didn't write this story. Have a problem? **TAKE IT UP WITH ME**. **

So as not to sound hypocritical, I must also ask my reviewers to leave flamer alone. It's really no different to him/her insulting you or me.

**5. Enlighten me. If you think my story is so stupid, **WHY THE _F*** DO YOU CONTINUE TO READ AND REVIEW IT_**? I **HOPE** your bloody "sprained elbow" prevents you from reviewing the next few chapters. You don't like them, so don't read them. No one's forcing you to. **

No, wait. I want one more review from you. I want to know why you keep reading. Because if you are reading this, I'm laughing. Because you're still reading this "crap", "stupid", "sucky", "horrible" story, which makes me piss myself laughing. It makes no sense.

Like I've said before, I don't mind flames. But there is a difference between disliking a story and beating the s*** out of a story (and its author and reviewers). If I don't like a story, I don't waste my time even saying so. I just move onto the next one. So before you tell me I don't have a life, look in the mirror. If you've got nothing better to do than insult people all day then I think you need to listen to your own advice. Yes, you are entitled to an opinion. But stating an opinion was a few steps down from your reviews. Your reviews are plain insulting.

For now, I'm going to leave it at this.

To all my faithful readers, the next chapter will be up soon. To my resident flamer, get some guts. Give me a reason or go. 

Cheers and later days,

\\(^~*SezZie*~^)//

PS: Regarding the whole "Voldie can't be Lily's father because the CoS was opened 50 years ago…" thing, you're wrong. It says that the Chamber hadn't been opened for fifty years. It didn't say that the heir last returned fifty years ago. The heir didn't necessarily have to open the Chamber. There would have been quite a few heirs before Riddle and I highly doubt all of them opened the Chamber, or more people would have known about it. So technically speaking, him being Lily's father is a valid idea. 

And I know the books say Lily is a muggle born, but if you actually read my story properly it gives you a reason for all that. Lily doesn't tell anybody she's not muggle born because that would be admitting she is related to Voldemort, which she is pretending not to be.

Got any other points to pick on? I'll gladly give you a reason for anything if you want me to. I actually put thought behind what I write in my story and I'm sure I can justify just about anything. If not, **wow. I'm only human. A thirteen year old one at that. You can't expect me, or my story for that matter, to be perfect. I'm not trying to pretend it is.**

PPS: Yeah, Maigon – o'course you can do a quiz. Let me know when you do it, won't you?


	10. A Ferocious Fury

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1_~*~ A Ferocious Fury ~*~___

_~Don't tell me what you're going to say_

_~Can't bear to hear it from your lips_

_~Let it come from anyone but you_

_~Anyone, anyone but you..._

A week or so later and it was nearly Christmas. I had been torn between going home and staying at Hogwarts, but had eventually decided to stay at school with Ariel. Mum understood, although she missed me, and sent her wishes.

One of the main reasons I didn't want to return home was Joey. I don't think it had quite settled in yet that she was gone and I didn't really want it to. But I knew that as soon as I went home and saw someone else in her house, it would. 

I didn't particularly want to see Petunia, either.

So I stayed at school with Ariel and Toni, whose parents were on vacation. 

Remus and Sirius also stayed behind, but James, Hilary and Bella were all under orders to return home. Most of my time was spent talking with Ariel and Toni, but on the odd chance that they were off doing something else, I would sit and chat with the boys a little.

Monday was one of these days. Ariel was talking to some Ravenclaw friends she had made when I had introduced her to some people, and Toni was reading upstairs in the dorm. Sirius and Remus had just finished a game of chess and were lazing about, talking idly.

'Hello, hello,' Sirius said when I came and sat down.

'Hola,' I replied, making a circle in the air with my palm.

'What brings you to the round table on a day such as today, dear maiden?'

I grinned at Sirius.

'Hate to break it to you, but the table's a square.'

'Damn,' Sirius cursed.

'Hello,' said Remus absently. 

I turned to look at him.

'What's up, sonny jim?' I teased.

He shrugged.

'Fine. Be unsociable then,' I said jokingly, giving him a fake withering look.

He frowned.

'Lily, look at me. Into my eyes.'

Puzzled, I did as he said and stared right into his eyes. 

'Concentrate really hard. Really stare into them.'

Nothing.

'Try again. Glare at me, like you did before. Think about something that makes you mad.'

I did, thinking about Voldemort. After a moment Remus's glazed over a little, and he gave a small shudder. Sirius looked confused.

'What?'

'Watch her eyes, Sirius.'

I looked to Sirius, but Remus shook his head.

'No, look at me again. But watch her, Sirius.'

Still extremely miffed, I glared back into Remus's caramel eyes. Again, he shivered.

Sirius looked at me, slightly surprised.

'Your eyes flash!' he said.

'What do you mean?'

'When you look at me, your eyes flash. And I...'

'What?' I pressed.

'I hear screaming...' Remus frowned, looking pale. 

'Look at me, Lily,' Sirius said, looking slightly excited.

I sighed and did as I was asked, baffled.

'I can't hear anything,' Sirius said, scratching his head. 'But your eyes were flashing when you looked at Remus.'

'I don't get it,' I told Remus. 'You've never heard anything before... you're not tricking me, are you?'

He shook his head.

'And I have heard it before,' Remus said quietly. 'Randomly. I've just never realised it was only when you make fierce eye contact with me.'

'Why? Why do you hear things?'

Sirius looked at Remus.

'You don't think she's a... you know. Do you?' he asked, his tone low. Remus shrugged.

'A what?' I demanded.

'A Fury,' Sirius and Remus said together. 

'A _what?'_

This was beginning to get ridiculous. I sat down for a nice conversation and all they could talk about was a load of nonsense.

'Stop being stupid. You're making it up.'

'We're not, Lily,' Remus said, looking at me. I glared back, and bit my lip when he flinched. It looked genuine. My gaze softened and I lowered my lashes. Remus looked away.

'What's a Fury?' I asked quietly.

'Furies are... I don't know how to explain it. Furies used to punish wrongdoers by sensing their guilt and turning it on them. When they look at their 'victims' in a certain way, they can't look away. And when a fury looks at their victim like that, the person can hear the cries of all the people they've ever hurt. But the thing with them was that they just chased wrongdoers in general to take revenge on them for the crimes, no matter how small. They are just as fierce on someone who has called someone else names as they are on a murderer.'

'So you're actually talking about the Furies from Greek Mythology? They were real?'

'Yeah. _Are real,' Sirius said. 'They reckon Voldemort's one...'_

I froze. That explained a lot.

'B-but he's evil. Why would he torment his followers?'

'He doesn't. He isn't an avenger... there were three different ones, you see. The normal avengers are the most common, and they just stick to what Sirius just said. Tisiphone. But there were two others, Megaera and Alecto. Megaera fed off jealousy, and Alecto was just really angry and loved causing chaos. Give you a guess as to which one _he is.'_

'Oh,' was all I could say. If _he was one, I guessed I was probably one too._

'So does this make me weird or something?' I asked, raising my eyebrows.

'It means don't glare at us when you're mad,' Sirius said seriously, and Remus and I laughed.

'But how does someone become a Fury? I mean, are they just born that way?'

'I don't think so,' Remus said.

'Nah, you would have got it from your father. Doesn't mean he was one though. Might have skipped a few generations. Kinda cool, eh, Lils? You can terrorize anyone who annoys you.'

'I don't think so,' I said, frowning. 'It's not cool at all.'

'I think it is,' Sirius grinned.

'Yeah, well, you would,' Remus said, rolling his eyes.

'It hasn't happened everytime I glared at someone,' I said suddenly. 'I mean, how come Sirius didn't hear it?'

'I think it's very random. Probably takes practice before you can control it,' Sirius shrugged.

'I would have thought it would have only worked if she was really mad,' Remus said.

'Nah. Random,' Sirius said again, with a flick of his hand. 'Though I can't say I've ever heard that before. Oi, Lily. Maybe it's not just when you're mad, but when your emotions are just strong. Are you overly happy or sad or something?'

'I was sad, I guess. I miss Firregaze,' I shrugged. 'I think he's upset, too.'

'I wonder where he's gone. I mean, he just disappeared,' Sirius frowned.

'Mmm,' I said absent mindedly.

I was more focused on the whole Fury thing. I wasn't really surprised, but I was beginning to wonder what else I was yet to find out about myself. It was then that something hit me.

'Dumbeldore,' I murmured.

'What?'

'Dumbledore would have heard... I mean, I was really angry then...'

'When?' Sirius frowned.

'When I spoke to him a couple of weeks ago. I was really mad, so he should have heard something.'

'You were mad at Dumbledore?' Sirius laughed.

I nodded, and tucked some hair behind my ear.

'So surely he would have heard -'

'The thing is, has Dumbledore done anything bad?' Sirius interrupted.

'Everyone has,' Remus said. 'Everyone has done something they regret at some point, no matter how serious. A Fury stirs up feelings of regret and guilt, and those are two feelings that everyone experiences at some time in their lives.'

'I guess,' I shrugged. 'So everytime I was really mad - I would have made anyone I glared at hear those things?'

'Probably not. Your "power" is probably only just developing. God help if all these little kids were going around tormenting anyone who doesn't give them what they want,' Remus said, rolling his eyes.

'Good,' I said, feeling uncomfortable that I had that effect on people. 

'Lily?' called Toni.

'Yeah?' I called back.

'There's an owl here for you,' she said, appearing at the top of the stairs. Garnet was sitting on her arm.

'So James has time to mail his girlfriend, but not his best friend?' Sirius huffed good-naturedly.

'One, we're not going out. Two, what if it's from Hilary?'

Sirius shook his head.

'James doesn't let her use Garnet.'

'Who cares?' I asked, exasperated, dashing over to retrieve Toni of Garnet.

'Hey beautiful,' I cooed at the bird, who clicked her beak.

I unrolled the parchment she was carrying and scanned over it as I walked back to the table where the boys were sitting.

'James has written to you. Sort of.'

'What does it say?' asked Remus.

I cleared my throat and read it aloud.

'_Dear Lily (and the guys, too, I guess)_

_Hope you are all enjoying your Christmas (Hilary told me to write that). Dad's being a prat again and I'm keeping to my room because __Appleton__ is over and he's brought Paige with him (god dammit!). Hilary's just being plain annoying - argh! OK, fine, I take it back (lest I risk having my face rearranged)! We're heading to __New York__ tomorrow (or on Tuesday, depending on when you get this) for a business conference (yay!). I cannot express to you how excited I feel about this (rolls eyes). Anyway, just thought I'd let you know. Keep Garnet at Hogwarts and don't write back - __New York__ is too far for an owl to travel. Well, I better go now. So see you guys soon._

_James._

_P.S. Lily, Hilary told me to tell you that you are something that I will not say because it is not very nice (I think she's mad with you).'_

'Hahaha. Hilary better watch out. Because if you glare at Lily, she might glare back...' Sirius said, laughing. 'Oh, I'd kill to be a Fury.'

'I'd gladly swap,' I sighed.

'So would I,' he replied. 'I don't know why you're so worried about it.'

'You aren't the Fury,' I grumbled. 'I'm going to the Library.'

'During the holidays?' Remus asked incredulously. 

'Yes,' I said, rolling my eyes. 'I do enjoy reading. Besides, I want to look up Furies. I might find out some more about myself.'

So I did exactly that; I went to the Library. I went straight to the section where I decided I was most likely to find out about Furies. And, lo and behold, the first book I pulled from this shelf had _Furies in its contents. Blowing some dust off the cover, I took it over to a table and sat down, searching for the chapter. ___

Taking my reading glasses out of my pocket, I read over the article.

_FURIES_

_Furies are witches and wizards blessed (or cursed, depending on one's views) with what is sometimes named the "Vindictive Eye"._

_The voracious blood that flows through a Fury's blood links far back to the days of ancient Greek Wizards, when three women - Tisiphone, Megaera and Alecto - were so consumed with the duty of justice that they were transformed into avenging spirits that fed off guilt/regret, jealousy and anger. The three tormented those around them by sensing any of the above and turning it upon the victim, forcing them recall bad outcomes to unjust acts, to the victim's discomfort. _

_It is also impossible to look away when a Fury locks one's gaze; one must wait for the Fury to break intense eye contact, thus ending the replaying of undesirable memories and outcomes._

_While it usually takes a fierce glare or look of strong emotion to set these effects into play, it has been observed that even weak looks can strike fear in dark creatures, because of the intensity of their nature._

_A Fury's powers commonly begin to surface around the age of twelve, although they may appear much earlier or later, and take several years to control fully. _

_It is impossible to identify a Fury from appearance alone as they are in every other way normal witches and wizards. If one was to be extremely critical, however, it would be correct to say Furies generally have brighter eyes, although this is not always the case._

_Despite the gloominess surrounding them, Furies are still human and shouldn't be judged collectively but as individuals as it depends on how they choose to use their ability._

'Great,' I sighed to myself. 'They might as well put Fury a.k.a. depressive freak of nature.'

I shut the book and took it back to the shelf, not bothering to look at any others. I had found out enough for the time being. Stretching and giving a yawn, I decided to go and see Hagrid. 

The cold air sliced across my skin when I stepped outside, and I drew my cloak more tightly around myself. Taking a breath of cold, sharp air, I took a few steps across the snow. And sunk badly. Realising that there was no real way I was going to reach Hagrid any time soon as long as there was six inches of snow, I sighed and rubbed my hands together, taking a moment before I set back inside.

Welcoming the rush of hot air when I opened the door, I slipped back inside, taking care to remove the snow from my robes so as not to leave puddles on the floor. 

And then I ran into Malfoy.

I had recognised his icy drawl before I saw the silvery eyes and leering expression, and my stomach did an involuntary flip-flop.

He hadn't seen me yet, so I tried to steer away from where he was headed. And just when I thought I had successfully avoided him, his head happened to turn to the side. His lips curled into a smile when he saw me. 

'Evans,' he said languidly. 'Long time no see.'

I silently cursed, and looked away, trying to ignore him. 

'Don't leave. We haven't spoken in ages, and I need to catch up on the _gossip_. Anyway, what are you doing at school over the holidays?'

I continued to walk away, congratulating myself on my current state of self control.

'Don't worry, Evans. I wouldn't want to go home if I were you. I mean, Hogwarts must seem like a palace compared to your little cardboard box. Suppose anything's better than going home and seeing your pitiful trollop of a mother -'

I stopped in my tracks at that, and slowly turned around.

'What did you say?' I asked through gritted teeth.

He smirked, knowing he had gotten me agitated. 

'What do you mean? The bit where I called your mother a trollop?'

'Don't you _dare_ talk about my mother like that,' I seethed.

'What are you going to do about it? Potter's not here to defend you this time.'

He was baiting me, and I rose to it. I was furious; seeing red. And as I had only recently discovered, odd things happened when I saw red.

Without even thinking, I glared at him with severe animosity. He glared back, but his brow creased slightly.

'What the hell?' he growled, trying to look around. But he couldn't. His gaze was locked with mine. 

Suddenly realising what had happened, I took a deep breath and turned away, Malfoy taking a step backwards.

'Don't you _ever_ talk about my mother like that again,' I warned him in a low tone, backing away. He was glaring at me, but I deliberately avoided looking straight into his eyes. After a few steps, I turned and walked away, trying to remain calm.

'I'll talk about you mother how ever I like,' Malfoy spat at my back, but I didn't turn around. I walked all the way back to Gryffindor Tower without once looking back.

'Stupid git,' I muttered under my breath as I stormed through the portrait hole. 

'Now, now, Lily - that's no way to talk about yourself,' Sirius joked. I looked up. I hadn't noticed, but he was sitting in an armchair nearby.

'I'm not talking about myself. I'm talking about Malfoy,' I said darkly.

'Ah. Him,' replied Sirius, nodding. 'While you're fuming, though, make sure you focus on something other than me.'

'Speaking of, I think Malfoy just got a taste of his own medicine.'

'Why? Did you glare at him?' Sirius laughed. 'He probably heard you. Did he get scared?'

'No,' I said, shaking my head. 'But he didn't know what was going on. I think he just pushed it aside though - I looked away before he could really register it, I think.'

'Damn. Would have killed to see that.'

'Yeah. Well,' I said, for lack of anything else to say.

'D'you reckon you could glare at me?'

'Why?' I asked, frowning.

'I just want to know what it sounds like,' he shrugged.

'Why would _anyone_ want to hear all the cries of all their injustices? Sirius, you're crazy.'

'I just want to hear it. Go on, please.'

Amused, I wiped my forehead.

'Alright, but you asked for it.'

I closed my breath and took a deep breath, focusing all my anger. I opened my eyes and glared straight at Sirius.

There was the immediate change of surprise, which was followed by a sharp intake of breath. Of course he was unable to look away, and his eyes looked pained.

'OK... Now you can stop...' he said, frowning.

But I wasn't about to. I continued to look intensely at him. He had, after all, asked for it.

After watching him pale considerably in the next few moments, I looked away lazily.

Sirius took a deep breath.

'OK, I get your point. Never do that again.'

'What did you hear?' I asked curiously, wondering what exactly Sirius had done.

'A lot,' he mumbled. 'Crying, screaming...'

'Been a naughty boy, huh?' I said amusedly.

'More so than I had thought,' he said, still taking deep breaths. 'That's freaky, Lily. Malfoy would have deserved it.'

'And you didn't?' I asked.

'No,' he said, looking at me strangely. 'The most I've done is made a few people upset. I've never done anything to the extent of Malfoy.'

'Maybe so, but you've still hurt people. And what you heard is what you deserve. It's what you deep down truly think you deserve, because I don't feed you all that. I make you hear it, but it's you that has it stored. Guilt. What you have done may be small compared to other things, but alone, its's just another wrong.'

Sirius shot me a weird look.

'That was so intelligent and meaningful, it creeped me out,' he told me. 'I think being a Fury has warped your sense of judgement.'

'So do I, but I can reason my views. I've thought about it a bit, and seen things differently. I think that the original Furies weren't that wrong in their idea of justice.'

'Yeah, well, I think I'll stick to my current point of view. I think just _trying _to comprehend what you just said might do me damage.'

I grinned.

'What brain would that be? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Sorry, sorry about the delay! I had the chapter finished but my dad didn't want me going on the internet because of that virus going around. One of my friends have it and it's a pain in the bum.**

**Anyways, I'd just like to thank you all on the really supportive reviews I got after the flame. I feel so loved :D**

**Well, that's about it for now. Hope you liked the chapter, and I apologise again for the wait.**

**SezZie******

**PS: Thought you might like to know I received this…**

_SezZie__,   
  
The following review has been submitted to: The World Through The Eyes Of A Muggle Born partII Chapter: 9  
  
From: flamer()  
  
I think you should all know the truth. If you want to know who I really am then tell me in your reviews and I might reveal myself._

_ flamer_


	11. How Bloody Stupid Can You Be?

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1**AMELIA BEDELIA I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND HOW COULD YOU FLAME ME LIKE THAT? There we go, flamer - is that what you want to hear? Well, it ain't gonna happen.**

Up until today, I did not think it was really possible for you to make me any more amused, but today you just topped it off.

For everyone out there who has figured out who those "hints" were directed at: **AMELIA BEDELIA IS THE LAST ****PERSON**** **ON****** THIS EARTH JUST ABOUT THAT I WOULD EXPECT TO FLAME THIS STORY.**

I also didn't believe it was possible for you to stoop in lower, but hey, there you go again. Full of surprises, you are.

But yes, I am amused. Let me tell you this: had you framed one of my other reviewers, it might have worked. But Amelia Bedelia is just about the stupidest choice you could have made because out of all my readers, she is probably the one I am closest to, and therefore I would never suspect her. *glances suspiciously @ Amelia Bedelia* Nah, just jokes.

So for god sakes, get a life and go. No one wants to hear who you are any more, especially not after that. Noone is going to believe you so I think now would be a great time for you to take a hike. You're not stopping me writing so maybe you should go find some weak fragile creature who actually cares about what you have to say. I don't know what you're getting out of stirring up trouble but I can tell you this much; I don't really care. In fact, it probably amuses me more than it does you.

I'd just like to say that if it is in fact someone's idea of a sick joke, I think you're a pretty messed up person and need to get your brain checked. This has gone on long enough.

Sez-Ma-Roo (hehe see I used it!)

Go ahead, flamer. Make fun of my name. Bet you'll get kicks out of that; it's even wackier than SezZie. BUT WOO FREAKING HOO. I DON'T GIVE A MONEKY'S SCROTUM (OK, now I just sound like Matthew).

PS. Next chapter will be up soon.

PPS. Thanks everyone for your support.

PPPS. PS's rule.

PPPPS. Val, I think I'm getting as bad as you with these things. :S


	12. Life Or Something Like It

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ Life Or Something Like It ~*~

_~Plain and simple_

_~You might call it boring_

_~But for me, it's just life_

_~Life or something like it_

_~A little bit different_

_~Out of the ordinary_

_~For anyone else, anyway_

_~To those on the outside looking in_

_~But for me_

_~It's just life or something like it_

_~You might say it changes_

_~The way you see the world_

_~When to me it's nothing at all_

_~Strange or queer_

_~Because life is life and when it happens to me_

_~I like to call it_

_~Life or something like it_

There's somewhat of a code that's developed over the years at Hogwarts. Of course, I suppose every school works the same way - the older kids get the run of the joint and how you get treated depends on which rung of the ladder you're on. Generally it's based on what year you're in; seventh years ruling the roost and the first years continually giving way. On the odd occasion, however, one or two people make what we call the 'transition'. This involves working your way up the ladder to join the ranks of those in a higher year level. 

It is quite clear for one to see that James and his friends have made this transition.

Everyone had returned from what was, in my opinion, a very somber Christmas. Not only did I miss seeing my mother, but my friends, too. Of course, the amount of presents, or lack thereof, that I received had nothing to do with it. OK, I lie. It did. But I do understand that sending about fifteen parcels by owl wasn't very convenient, and therefore I tried to act extremely happy with the two presents I did receive from my family (Some books and a sweater. Oh, the excitement).

But to get back to the point, James and his little group of friends were sitting under a beech tree that had a bright vine of bougainvillea growing up it. Because of this, the area was named "Boganville", and people that sat there were respectively called boganvillians. To this day I still wonder whether it was in fact in reference to the plant or if someone was trying to be clever with words while making fun of the people that sat there. But the boys were not at all swayed by the fun that was poked at the place, mainly because they just didn't care all together, but also because everyone secretly found it pretty stupid that the place was constantly made fun of when all in all it was a very nice spot to sit.

When outside, myself and the girls usually sat under the big, droopy, shade-giving willow that hung over the lake, which we nicknamed Gaea. This was roughly fifty metres away from Boganville. This was slightly irritating at times because there was a mixed group of females that liked to wonder from tree to tree trying to catch the boys's attention.

The girls were the main reason that the boys made the transition.

It was simple: girls liked James because he was sporty and smart; girls liked Sirius because he was hot; girls liked Remus because he was caring and sensitive; and girls liked (pretended to like) Peter because he hung around with James, Sirius and Remus.

We liked James because he was funny and supportive, Sirius because he was silly and loyal, Remus because he was understanding, and as for Peter, well... we never really liked him at all. Or correction, no one else really liked him at all. I personally thought Peter was alright it you gave him a chance. But I guess pretty much anyone would look like a loser next to those three guys.

While Sirius was definitely the most popular of the group, James was their ringleader and therefore the most respected. Peter couldn't stand up for himself if his life depended on it, but not many dared to mess with someone that held acquaintance with those boys - James Potter in particular. He stuck up for what he believed in every way possible - even if it meant getting violent.

If I had to label them, James would be the fighter, Sirius the comedian, Remus the dreamer and Peter the follower.

Needless to say, there were quite a few girls that would kill to be us. When I say "us" I of course mean myself, Bella and Hilary. Because we were linked to that group in almost every way possible; the sister, the girlfriend and the best friend. Therefore we weren't the most popular of people with half the female population of Hogwarts.

Today was a good day; just me and Bella and Hilary. Ariel was with the Ravenclaws again (thank god, she was beginning to get slightly annoying) and it was one of those days when you feel like doing absolutely nothing other than snuggling up under a tree in the warm and dozing off. I guess it was the fox in me coming through. Anyway, as those days usually turn out, it wasn't going to happen.

Firstly, there was a bunch of third year girls hovering around nearby, giggling and pointing over at the boys, which was extremely irritating once in a while. Secondly, Bella was on the war path.

'I can't believe him! Boys are the ultimate scum of the earth!' she screeched, her eyes flashing. 

Luckily enough for anyone in a twenty metre radius of her, she decided to wander over to the boys's tree and grumble to them instead, since Sirius was the cause of her annoyance. This left me alone with Hilary, who had been less than warm towards me ever since I had decided to ignore everyone a few weeks back. For a moment I thought I would try and talk to her, but it was when I opened my mouth to speak that she got up and drifted off after Bella. I sighed and leaned back against the willow, closing my eyes. Thinking I could finally have my little nap, someone interrupted me.

'Hello.'

'Hi,' I replied, not opening my eyes. It was James, and he wasn't worth lifting my lids to let in that blinding sun.

'What are you up to?'

I sighed and gave in; opening my eyes lazily.

'Dozing,' I replied, giving him a pointed look.

'Oh. Sorry,' he grinned, sitting down next to me. We sat in silence for a minute, then he spoke.

'Sirius told me about you being a Fury.'

My eyes opened fully at the mention of that, and I think my whole body tensed up.

'He did?' I asked.

'Why didn't you?'

'I forgot about it,' I said, frowning.

'Have you used your powers?'

Gosh. Why so serious?

'Yes. But only without thinking. I can't control it -'

'Well you have to learn how.'

'James, what's up with you? Why so serious?'

He just looked at me sharply.

'Because it is serious, Lily. The more you use them, the stronger they will grow.'

'What's wrong with that?'

'You _want_ to make people miserable?' he asked, not looking at me. He was staring of into the distance.

'No, but -'

'If they grow too strong, you'll be consumed by it, Lily.'

'James, I'm not going to go evil just by looking at people,' I said lightly.

'You don't get it,' he snapped, frustrated. He looked at me now, something burning fiercely in his eyes. I couldn't identify it.

'Do you know how many people have said that, then lost themselves to the power? Good people?'

He sighed and his gaze softened a little. 

'Ever wondered where Dementors come from?'

Dementors? _Oh lord..._

I had never met a Dementor, and for that I was quite glad. I knew enough about them to know that it wasn't something I'd like to come across. And it made sense about the whole fury thing, too... from what we'd learnt in DADA, Dementors struck fear into most, forcing them to recall their most terrifying encounters. Feeding people fear, sadness, loneliness...

'Dementors are Furies?' I asked shakily, drawing my knees up and hugging them.

'_Were_ Furies,' James corrected, and the way he said it made me shiver. 'Look at me.'

I did.

'No, _look_ at me.'

'James, I don't want to...'

'Just do it,' he said firmly, glaring at me.

'I can't do that to you,' I whispered. 

'No, you can't. You're a coward, Lily. You can do it to people like Malfoy but you're shaking when someone asks you to do it to a friend.'

'It's _because_ you're my friend that I don't want to,' I snap, glaring at him without thinking.

The glare leaves his face and I realise he was doing it to get me angry. So that I would glare at him. Much like with Sirius, I became annoyed and held his gaze. It served him right.

But James surprised me by looking away.

I looked at him in shock as he turned his eyes back to mine.

'I mustn't have been angry enough,' I said, slightly satisfied that he still hadn't got me to glare at him. Besides, just a minute ago he had been telling me to control it!

'No, you were angry enough. Your eyes flashed,' he said, a troubled look on his face.

'But you -'

'- looked away,' he finished. 

I nodded dumbly.

'How?'

'I didn't hear anything, either,' he said, shrugging. 

'That doesn't make sense,' I frowned. 'No one is immune to a Fury, are they? Not unless you're completely innocent, and I highly doubt -'

'- that I'm completely innocent. No, I'm definitely not. I have a soul full of guilt,' he sighed. 'And besides, I've heard before...'

'From me?'

'No,' was all he said.

I was extremely confused. How come my eyes had no effect on him?

Just then, a leaf fell from the tree and drifted slowly towards the ground, fluttering on the wind. James and I both watched it.

'Do you have Quidditch Practice today?'

'No. The match is on Sunday, so KP booked the pitch for Friday and Saturday.'

I nodded.

'Isn't the first Quidditch match usually before Christmas?'

'Normally. I don't know what happened this year. The whole schedule is totally messed up.'

'How am I supposed to control it?' I asked, pulling hair from my face.

'With practice. When you glare at someone you have to focus on only glaring, not punishing them. It's an automatic response when you're mad at someone to think that way, but unfortunately for you, wishful thinking comes true.'

'Do you think I'm weird?' I sighed. It had been bothering me for a long time. 

James looked at me in surprise.

'For being a Fury? No. You can't help it. It is interesting, though. Kind of ironic, having people give you a hard time for being a muggle born, when really you're a half blood. A really powerful one at that.' He looked at the ground, then back up at my face. 'Do you reckon your dad went to Hogwarts?'

'I - I don't know...' I said, avoiding his eyes. 'Probably not. I mean, wouldn't someone recognise the surname?'

'I suppose.'

I leaned back a little more and closed my eyes. A few seconds later a leaf fluttered onto my face.

I blew it off.

'This is going to sound really sappy, but...' James trailed off.

'What?' I asked him.

'I really admire you, Lily. It seems like everything possible happens to you, but you take everything that comes your way and keep moving. I know I act like I've got it hard, but I do see what you're going through, and I do understand that my life is nothing compared to the shit that gets thrown your way.'

I opened my eyes. I had never heard James swear in front of me.

'You should watch your language, Mr Potter,' I grinned.

'Sorry,' he said, looking slightly embarrassed. 'I don't usually talk like that around you.'

'Why?'

'Because you're a girl,' he replied, and I laughed. He joined in.

'And you think girls don't swear?'

'Well? Do you?' he asked.

'No.'

We both laughed again.

'I asked Cirstie out today.'

'Oh?' I said. He was referring to a third year Ravenclaw.

'She said no.'

I took one look at the blunt expression on his face and burst out laughing.

'What's the matter, Jamsie? Your first rejection?'

'Actually, yeah.'

'Ha ha. Point laugh James,' I grinned, jabbing him with my finger.

'Dude, that's not very nice,' he replied, also grinning.

'Dude, huh?'

'Yep. 

'Wouldn't "dudette" be more fitting?'

'Lily, no, OK? Dude is the word,' he teased. 'Dude is the _only word.'_

'Fine,' I laughed. 'Dude is the word.'

'Indeed it is.'

* * *

Around the side of the castle, on the way to the greenhouses, there is a gutter. This gutter is known to most students as the Green Mile; not because anyone has ever died there but mostly because it's about a mile long (not really, but it is long), it's full of green leaves and if you fell in it while it was full the smell would probably be bad enough to kill you. 

It is an extremely wide gutter - about a metre in width. Quite often it is filled with leaves and mud and rubbish, and therefore is not a very pleasant thing to be around most of the time. When it has recently rained or snowed, however, it is even more unappetising.

It's for the benefit of the younger students of the school that it is cleaned, because with the Green Mile of course comes an age old tradition. This one is rather simple: the older kids get priority when it comes to the narrow path that is between the wall of the castle and the gutter. Younger kids have to walk along the gutter. Of course there's always the odd student who's pretty sure of himself that decides to plough their way along the path amongst his elders, but said student risks getting pushed roughly into the gutter. In general it's usually much easier to wait for the older kids to get off the path to avoid going in the gutter at all. But this would require common sense and I'm afraid to admit that it is hard to come by at Hogwarts.

As you have probably guessed, James and his group are amongst those that "walk the Green Mile" along the path and have never used the gutter once in their life, as far as I know. This is all very well for them, but I don't like the chance of being shoved into a channel full of god-knows-what.

James used to find amusement in "standing guard" over the gutter and making sure everyone got to use the path. He liked to enforce this by threatening to set Firregaze (in his tiger form, of course) on them. It usually worked well, but no one wants to stand by a gutter all day, and the fun in it wore off pretty quick.

I'm on my way to Herbology now. Luckily we're the only group heading down there so we get to use the path. Unfortunately, Gray thinks it's funny to push people in the gutter anyway. He's never done it to me, but he has tried it once or twice on Bella, and once to Ariel. She had been rather shocked, but to everyone's surprise, laughed. I didn't mind, either, because I got to accompany her back up to the castle to get cleaned up, which got me out of a class for a little bit.

Hilary was talking to me, but pretty stiffly. She was still annoyed with me and quite frankly I didn't blame her.

'Lily, Lily, Lily,' Gray tutted, jumping from side to side of the gutter.

'What?' I asked.

'Always so slow and careful,' he said as if it were disgraceful, jumping of the gutter onto the path behind me.

'Gray, Gray, Gray,' I mocked. 'Always so fast and reckless.'

'And proud of it,' he grinned, jabbing me in the back.

'Last one to Herbology is a rotten egg!' Geoff said, pushing past me.

Giving a little squeal, I flattened myself along the wall so they could get past without me overbalancing.

'Idiots,' Hilary muttered, passing me while I was still against the wall.

'Boys,' Bella grumbled, falling into step behind me as I began to walk again. 

'Yeah,' I grinned, just as two Ravenclaw boys began dashing along the gutter like Gray had. One of them lost their footing and went tumbling in. 

We all giggled.

'Had that have been Sirius, he would not have fallen in,' Bella said proudly.

'Probably not accidentally, no. But to be an idiot and get out of class? I wouldn't put it past him.'

'Lily, you have a point.'

'Don't I always?' I grinned.

'No,' she said stubbornly. 'You're awful with them. Half the time they just sound way too smart and nobody has a clue what you are on about, except for James and Sirius, who won't tell anyone else. So even when you probably do have a good point, nobody gets it.'

'Shut up,' I said, pretending to be offended.

'Li-_ly_,' Ian teased from up ahead, drawing out my name.

I sighed.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

_Somewhere nearby, yet so far away, a small red fox was tripping across the snow. It's nose was raised in an indication of it's process of seeking out food; its ears were pricked. The animal was on alert. _

_It's normally fiery red coat was streaked with the shaggy brown of its winter pelt. Amber eyes shone furiously from behind a blank stare as it listened. But as it stood, its small feet sinking into the snow, the only sound to be heard was the howling of the wind..._

I sat up straight in bed, my breathing heavy. A small questioning mew brought me back to reality - I was in my dormitory. For a moment I had thought my friend had returned, but then I realised the sound had come from Storm Shadow. I sighed. Firregaze was gone, and there wasn't much I could do about it.

I had been having those odd dreams a lot lately. All of them about a fox, alone and lost. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were about. But none of them told me where Firregaze was. 

Sighing, I pulled on my dressing gown and slipped out of the dormitories, downstairs. The fire had burned to small embers, and I was surprised to find James and Sirius up, leaning over something.

'What are you up to?' I asked softly.

Their heads snapped around, and Sirius hurriedly gathered some papers and slid them into a book.

'Nothing much,' said James. 

I was suspicious, but too tired to probe any further.

'Why are you up?' he asked, standing from his chair and walking over to sit on a sofa instead.

'Can't sleep,' I muttered, tucking hair behind my ears. 'You?'

'Same. We've been plotting to do away with Snape,' Sirius grinned.

I rolled my eyes.

'Seriously, what has he ever done to offend you?'

'Breathed,' was James's blunt reply. 

'It's unexplainable; much like the sky being blue,' Sirius added.

'Ah. I see.'

'And the day Snape gives up being a ridiculous low life -' James began.

'Is the day dear Jamsie stops sleeping around,' Sirius finished.

'I don't sleep with girls,' James protested.

'You mean to tell me you sleep with guys?' I laughed.

He scowled.

'Yuck.'

Sirius and I laughed.

Yawning and pulling my gown more tightly around me, I took a seat next to James.

KP had hauled all of the Gryffindor Quidditch team off to practice that evening and James was still in his Quidditch robes. They reeked of BO.

'You smell,' I commented.

'So kiss me,' he replied, rolling his eyes.

'Not while you're still wearing those,' I told him, wrinkling my nose.

'But you would if he got changed?' Sirius asked with interest.

'Sirius?'

'Yes?'

'Shut up,' I said, poking my tongue out at him. 

'Fine,' he said sulkily. 'I know when I'm not wanted.'

'Good,' James replied. 'Then go away.'

'Oh, yes. Jamsie wants dear Lilian all to himself,' Sirius retorted, making kissing motions with his lips.

'She's all mine,' James agreed, slinging an arm over my shoulder.

'I'm not anybody's,' I told him, raising my eyebrows coolly.

'But if you were anybody's, you'd be mine.'

'Of course,' I said, rolling my eyes.

'Get a _room_,' Sirius said loudly, covering his eyes.

'No one's forcing you to be here. Geez, you can go upstairs and miss me and Lily having a snogfest if you want.' 

'Scary mental image,' Sirius groaned.

'Oh!' James said suddenly.

'What?' I said, just as loudly, to mock.

'Tomorrow, when you go down to breakfast, in the big corridor, you have to look for this galleon.'

'I doubt it will still be there tomorrow,' I said dryly.

'Oh, but it will!' Sirius said gleefully. 'We used a super-glue charm on it. And there's a shielding charm on it, too, so no one can get it off. We're going to go down early and see how many people try to pick it up.'

I shook my head in amusement.

'You guys never cease to amuse me, honestly. You always leave me wondering what on earth you're going to think of next.'

'You should be scared,' Sirius said, nodding his head.

I sighed and rested my head on James's shoulder.

'Don't fall asleep on my shoulder,' he warned.

'I won't,' I replied.

'_Sooooooooooooooooo_,' Sirius said after a moment's silence.

'So what?' I asked.

'You know Sirius, Lily. He can't stand silence.'

'Oh,' I sighed. 'Sirius, it's nighttime. Quiet time.'

'We're night people,' he defended.

'I'm a night animal,' I grinned. 'But you don't see me up all night.'

'How come you're not in bed now, then?'

'Can't sleep,' I repeated distantly, thinking of Firregaze. 

'No sh - bull,' James corrected, looking at me. 

I rolled my eyes.

'Dude, I'm sure Lily has heard the "s" word before,' Sirius said.

'It's not just her,' James explained. 'We're not allowed to swear at home, so I'm used to correcting myself like that.'

'Sure-sure,' I grinned teasingly.

After another quiet moment, I let out another yawn.

'Well, I think I'll go back up to bed.'

'OK,' Sirius said. 'Goodnight.'

'Night,' James said, stretching out on the couch once I had gotten up.

'Night.'

Upstairs, everyone was still sleeping peacefully, so I quietly took off my dressing gown and slipped into bed.

Not even an hour later, I was woken up again.

'Getting some beauty rest, Evans?' cackled Peeves loudly. __

_Peeves?_

'S'matter?' mumbled Hilary from the next bed.

'Peeves. Go back to bed,' I said thickly.

'Ooh, she does get grouchy when she hasn't had her sleep! Not that it does her any good!' Peeves cackled at his own joke, then performed a loop-the-loop, deliberately knocking my bedside lamp over. Bella sat up in bed and yanked her curtains open. As usual, she was very much awake.

'Wha's he doing in the dormit'ry?' Hilary complained, also pulling back her curtains.

'Beats me,' I replied vehemently. Peeves had only ever visited Gryffindor Tower once, and although it was most likely that this wasn't allowed, he seemed to believe that rules were made for the express purpose of being broken.

'I had a secret to tell you, I did,' he said in an innocently offended voice.

Bella groaned.

'A secret?' Hilary asked groggily, rubbing her eyes. I was surprised she wasn't mad at being so rudely awoken. 

'What is it, then?' 

This was most likely a mistake, because the poltergeist rushed over to her and hung mid-air, near her ear. The annoying little man cupped his hands near his mouth as if to whisper something, but instead made an extremely rude noise, right in Hilary's left ear. She clapped her hands over her ears.

'GET LOST!' she yelled savagely. Kelsey and Reilly began to stir. 

'Peeves knows when he's not wanted,' the poltergeist sighed.

'Obviously not, you're still here,' muttered Bella, but Peeves must have heard her because he flew angrily through her before fading into the wall. Bella shivered, and I didn't blame her. Having a ghost fly through you wasn't the nicest feeling, especially at one o'clock in the morning.

'What the hell was he doing in here?' Hilary whined, rubbing her eyes again.

'Not the faintest idea,' Bella sighed.

'Well I'm going back to sleep, so don't you two start talking and giggling,' she warned, running a hand through her hair before pulling her hangings back around her bed.

* * *

It turned out that Peeves had visited every single Gryffindor dormitory that night. Rumour had it that it was because McGonagall, head of Gryffindor, had punished him for something, causing him to seek revenge. Needless to say, quite a few people were still a bit sleepy the next morning.

I personally had gotten less sleep than most, and it being a certain time of month and all, I was feeling a little snappish. So when Paige come up to me to give me a hard time about James, she received a bit of a shock.

'You just don't get it, do you?' I exclaimed loudly. 'I am not after James, OK? If he wants to go out with a bitch like you, it's up to him!'

'Oh, Evans, you flatter me,' she said sarcastically.

'Spare me the sarcasm, Paige. I'm not in the mood.'

'No, you listen to me. The truth is, you don't give one little inch about James, do you? I don't know what you want with him, but you're up to something and it's not just because you want to be his friend!'

'That's rubbish and you know it! I care about James as much as you do! No wait, _more!_ Don't you even try to tell me that, or him. Ever since we became friends you've been trying to find faults in me! And do you know what I think, Paige Appleton? I think you're jealous!'

'And why would I be jealous of you?' she asked coldly.

'Because you know that I'm closer to him than you'll ever be,' I returned, just as icily. 

This time, when she glared at me, I remembered what James had said, and tried to control my stare. I was happy to see Paige had no trouble looking away, because she lowered her head before tossing it up to throw her hair over her shoulder. It was then that I noticed half the people in the Hall were watching us. Looking around, I took a deep breath.

'Pleasant morning, isn't it?' I asked loudly, before walking out of the hall, both extremely irritated yet ecstatic at the same time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG - but it is longer than usual. :D Just a little pointless chapter to give you a little look see at life at Hogwarts. :d Hope it wasn't too tedious.

Oh yeah...

**GOOD CHARLOTTE KICKS ASS! And Joel is mine! *breaks down and cries* No wait you can have Joel and I shall have Benj. *looks happy and decided* All is now good.**

Val: OK, I started high school this year and I was freaking scared out of my mind but all is well now (you might even say I have more control over the school than half the year twelve and staff body) because I'm just generally an intimidating person and I don't take shit from no one. I don't know where you are, val (coz American high schools just generally look a lot scarier than others if you ask me) but here in oz it's a pushover as long as you stand strong! DUDE! If a yr 12 shoves you, shove 'em back! *pushes Tony into the gutter where he starts crying* Yeah. *looks smugly at Tony's sobbing figure* And tell them that they suck while you're at it. *tells this to Tony and rolls eyes at his pitiful response* Dude how mean am I. I'm sorry Tony. *offers Tony a hand to help him up only to let go at the last minute and let him fall right back into the gutter* God I'm evil. *laughs hysterically at him* See, even big yr 12 Tony is put in his place by a little yr 8 Sarah if Sarah tries hard enough. (Not that Tony has ever pushed me, but if he did I would certainly push him back) By the way Tony is my friend. I'll bet you're wondering worriedly how I treat people I DON'T like. *cackles evilly, only causing Tony to cry harder*

I'll stop now since you'll probably be afraid of finding people like ME at your school. Quite frankly I think it is the older kids who should be afraid, because from what I've seen we're the worst of the lot.

As for form or whatever you call it *checks review* home room, all the people in mine are pretty much all people i hang around with so I can't help you there. *thinks really hard* I like walking up to people and saying "Hi! OMG! I haven't talked to you in _ages_," and see if they go along with it so they don't look stupid. It's pretty funny. Or throw them a random comment. This is my fave: *clears throat* "No, insert name of cool person here, I don't want to hear about what you were thinking about in bed last night, OK?" It's pretty funny. *sighs*

Oh yeah and on orientation day I made no friends. I also felt like a social outcast because everyone else was wearing their uniform except me. (I had only just gotten back from a trip to Melbourne the night before so I wasn't at school when we were told to wear uniform). All the people I was already friends with were in different houses, so I was a  loner. Then I felt like, well, these people don't know me so I can practically do what I want and they probably don't care. So I did. And I found this dude I had met at the pool a couple of weeks ago too. AND - he lives up the street from me! Plus this girl who also got a scholarship (like me) I met her when we had photos done and it turns out she's in my form (home room) and I sit next to her and now we're really good friends! I've also met heaps of people and our "group" has about tripled in size! Even the not-so-popular people have a pretty big group but at our school there's not really popular and unpopular. There's just three main groups; the bitchy skanky people, the general all round nice people (the group that I belong to that is full of weird, psychotic, loud, crazy and sometimes really mean people like me lol but everyone loves everyone) and then there's the leftovers. Some people drift between groups. Our groupies are collectively called the Boganvilleans (haha sound familiar?) And we were once two groups of people from two schools that joined as one. In case you were wondering, there's a gutter near the library. And it's known as the Green Mile...

Oh well, I've babbled enough and I should go now. *checks watch* 

Yep. Toodles.

:D

SezZie


	13. Ambition And Audacity

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ Ambition and Audacity ~*~__

~_Senses sprung, death's cover brung_

_~Spread light o'er failure_

_~Destruction of the barriers_

_~Whispers deep, courage to seep_

_~Ignit is the internal flame_

_~Flickering thro' the nothingness_

_~And lay the dusk to rest_

James and Sirius wanted to be Aurors. Bella wanted to become Minister of Magic (ambitious, no?)_. _Hilary wanted to be in fashion. And me? I didn't have a clue.

Wednesday morning in Transfiguration, and McGonagall hands out subject selections for next year. The list contains about ten subjects, ranging from Divination to Arithmancy. By the looks of it none of them appeared to be any use for _any_ jobs in particular, so I didn't understand how we were supposed to choose based on our intended career path.

'If it waz me, I would choose Care of Magical Creatures,' Ariel said, leaning over my shoulder. 'I love animals.'

'I'm going Care of Magical creatures,' Bella agreed, listening in.

'Me too,' added Hilary.

Scanning over the list again, I decided it sounded like one of the better subjects.  

'And I think I'll do Muggle Studies, too,' I murmured.

'I'm doing that too,' sighed Hilary.

'But you're a muggle born!' Bella exclaimed. 'Well, sort of. And Hilary! You're practically a muggle, too!'

'So?' Hilary and I said in unison, grinning.

'Whatever. I'm going Divination.'

'Oh, I want to try that too,' I said, biting my lip.

'Try it then. You can do three, it says. But I think you're both mad. Divination sounds like a load of rubbish,' Hilary muttered.

'That's good, then,' Bella said with satisfaction. 'Nonsense is what we're best at, isn't it?'

I laughed.

'Indeed it is. Sounds like a good opportunity to do nothing, too, if you ask me.'

'Well, no matter what you say, I'm not doing Divination. I'll stick with two subjects.'

'Yep, same here,' Bella nodded.

'You do realise that means you'll get double Charms _and Transfiguration, don't you?' I asked, raising an eyebrow. _

'That's alright, I guess. Besides, I like Transfiguration. I suppose you'll pick Charms as your double then, since you only have space for one more subject?' Hilary queried, circling Transfiguration on her sheet.

'You know me too well,' I grinned.

'Do you have subject selections at Beauxbatons?' Bella asked Ariel.

'_Oui_, but not until fourth year. And ze choices are not az many az yours.'

'Interesting,' I murmured softly, reading the course outline for Divination. 

'Do you think we'll be reading The book?' Bella asked, reading over my shoulder.

'Hahaha,' said Hilary. 'No. Dumbledore probably took it off the list.'

'I guess.'

The rest of the lesson was surprisingly enjoyable, since we had the whole time to make decisions on our subjects. The fact that all we did was giggle and talk is completely beside the point. 

When it was finally lunch time, I ate a small meal and ventured outside to look for James and the boys. I found them over near Boganville, some others from their year in their presence. 

'What are they up to?' Bella called, running across the grounds towards me. Hilary and Ariel weren't far behind her.

'Don't know,' I replied, waiting for them to catch up. As we got closer, I noticed Gray and his gang were also there, along with Reilly and Toni. They seemed to be playing a game.

'What on earth is that?' Bella asked curiously once we were close enough.

'Soccer,' I said, a smile spreading over my face.

'Sounds fun,' she replied. 

'Sport,' Hilary muttered, rolling her eyes. 

'Can we play?' Bella yelled to the guys. They all turned around. One of the third years that I didn't know laughed.

'Girls don't play soccer.'

'Wanna bet?' Reilly asked challengingly, just as Toni protested, 'We can too!'

'We can do anything you can do,' Bella said stubbornly, sticking her chin up. Then her lips caused one word that sent all they guys into fits of laughter: 'Better.'

'Give them a go,' Sirius said loudly. 

'Don't judge them until you've seen them,' backed up James, who had picked up the ball.

'Ooooooooooh, Jamsie has a soft spot for the girlies,' some of the guys cooed, pinching his cheeks and slapping him on the back. James shrugged them off.

'You're just scared we're better than you,' I said, rather boldly, hands on hips. James and Gray's gangs all whistled.

'Yeah, Cummins. You're scared,' said April Hopeturn, stepping forward and elbowing the boy that had first laughed at us. She turned to us. 'They wouldn't let us play either,' she said, gesturing behind her where Brigette and Juliet stood. Chrissy and Paige were under a tree a few metres away, flicking through magazines. 

The boy scowled.

'Alright. You're on. Girls versus boys. If we win...' he looked around at us. 

'You have to go out with us!' someone else called out. 

A few people laughed.

'Alright,' Bella said. 'If you win, you get to go out with any of us for a week. But if _we_ win -'

'If we win, you have to go to breakfast tomorrow in your boxers,' Toni interrupted.

'No way!' Peter called.

'Fair's fair. Besides, I think we have the worse end of the deal,' I said. 'Who would want to go out with you lot?'

'You did,' Geoff called, nudging Gray. Gray nudged him back. 

'I think this is a fair contest,' he said, ignoring Geoff's sniggering.

'The teams are uneven,' Remus pointed out. 'There's twelve of us and only eight girls.'

'Nine,' said Hilary, sighing. 'I guess I'll play too.'

'You go girl!' Brigette whooped, grinning. 

'That's still uneven,' said Gray.

'We'll be fine, won't we, girls? Nine girls to twelve boys is a pretty even match when you consider our skill, don't you think?' Bella asked loudly. 

A few of the guys snorted, but the girls all backed her up. 

'We need a team name!' Juliet said, lifting her legs up in turn and clapping her hands beneath them.

'Screw team names,' the boy named Cummins said. 'Let's play ball.'

'Boys think team names are sissy,' James whispered in my ear, coming up beside me.

'Oh? What's the problem with that? Boys are just sissy altogether,' I replied, jabbing him in the stomach. He caught my hand and grinned.

'We'll see about that, won't we?'

'Who wants to be goalie?' asked Reilly, hands on hips. She had her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, with stray wisps escaping all over the place. Her boyish look reminded me of the old Joey.

'Me! Me!' said Brigette.

'OK. Up that end.'

Reilly took charge and gave us all positions. Not everyone knew much about soccer, so it was a little hard, but we mixed them up with those who did and hoped they would catch on easy enough. I ended up in defense with Hilary; Reilly, Toni and Juliet were in midfield and Bella, Ariel and April in attack. I could see straightaway that Hilary wasn't going to be overly enthusiastic since she had suddenly become very interested with her nails, so that left me pretty much alone and Brigette without much cover.

James had the ball. April tried to take it off him, but he dodged her. He was coming closer.

'Ready to miss a few, Bridge?' he grinned, his feet moving rather quickly. 

'Bring it on, Potter,' she replied boldly, slapping her chest provokingly. Narrowing his eyes, he moved to the left and just as Brigette moved to cover it, he changed its direction. There was no way Brigette was going to stop it. James was looking very smug, getting ready to cheer...

Just as I slid in front of the ball. 

'Woo hoo Lily!' Juliet yelled, coming over to take it off me. I stood up and walked to be next to James.

'Got you there, didn't I?' I grinned.

'Beginner's luck.'

'I'm not a beginner,' I replied. 'I used to play soccer all the time with Joey.'

'Girls don't play soccer,' he said in shock. 'At our school, they were never allow to play.'

'And you think that stopped us?'

He looked at me and shook his head, smiling, before jogging forward. 

Sirius was the boys's goalie. I must say we all had our doubts, but he was doing surprisingly well.

'Come on, Black!' yelled Gray as April dribbled the ball up the other end. She took a shot but Sirius dove and caught it, throwing it back in. Another one of the boys grabbed it. 

'Nice try, June,' Cummins grinned, shoving April playfully.

'It's April,' she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

'Whatever, July.'

I was happy to see April looking so cheerful and having such a good time. I didn't know what I'd have done if my mother died. I shuddered at the thought.

'Lily!' called Hilary. 

I turned to see she had the ball.

'This is surprising, I must say,' I grinned, relieving her of it before one of the boys could tackle her.

'Shut up,' she said, but she was smiling.

'Oi, Reilly!'

I passed to her, and she dribbled it up to April who took it back up near the goals. Some boys blocked her off and she was in trouble.

'Over here!' called Bella suddenly, running up from the side. April passed quickly and while Sirius was still covering April she kicked it up and head butted it in.

'Goal!' Juliet screamed, jumping up and down. Brigette did a little dance while Juliet and April dashed around hi-fiving everyone on our team.

Sirius had been cheering Bella for a moment but had stopped abruptly when a few guys glanced at him oddly.

The game went on for about another ten minutes, in which the guys managed to score a goal. When McGonagall came down and yelled at us to go and get cleaned up since we only had five minutes until class, we were still on one all, which meant there really wasn't any winners. We were also all pretty grimy and dirty and dusty, but no one really seemed to mind other than Hilary.

'Who wins?' Toni asked.

'We both do,' Sirius grinned.

'What, you mean we both have to do our forfeits?' Bella asked.

'Yeah. You guys get to go out with us for a week, but you also have to go to breakfast in your boxers tomorrow morning,' I said, nodding. 

'Well, we get to pick now then,' Marc said.

'James gets first pick because he scored the goal,' Sirius said, slapping his friend on the back. 'Who do you want, Jamie?'

He grinned.

'I reckon you should go first, Sirius. You stopped all those goals, after all.'

'Bella's mine!' Sirius said immediately after that. 

'Defenders, next.'

'Pick me, Marc! Pick me!' April called out, chewing on some gum.

'Do I have any choice in the matter?'

'Nope,' April grinned, messing up his hair. 'And we all know who Ethan's going to pick.'

'Come on Bridge,' the boy named Ethan laughed, extending his arm. Brigette jumped up and brushed herself off, accepting it.

'And now for James, who kicked our goal!'

'James Potter, pick me now or suffer death!' Hilary moaned.

'I am most certainly _not _going out with my sister for a week,' James replied, frowning. 

'But I don't want to go out with any of them!'

'Sorry, Hil, but I ain't picking you.'

'Pick Lily,' Toni grinned, slinging an arm around my shoulders. 'Be a protector and save her from all the rough and tumble guys, Potter.'

'Ah, but does said best friend _want to be picked, or does she have her eye on someone else?' James asked teasingly._

I shrugged.

'Who'd want to go out with you, anyway?' I asked airily. 

James narrowed his eyes.

'For a comment like that, I am most certainly picking you,' he said, folding his arms. 'And that also answers your question.'

'But I don't _want_ to go out with you, I'm being forced to go out with you.'

'That is completely and utterly beside the point.'

Juliet ended up with Cummins, Reilly with Gray (I grinned at her after that), and Toni and Hilary escaped without being paired up with anyone. The remaining boys didn't seem to mind.

I, on the other hand, was now James Potter's girlfriend for a week. 

This turned out to be mildly challenging, to say the least.

The next morning, all twelve boys stuck to their word and made an amusing group entrance that nearly gave McGonagall a heart attack. James somehow managed to worm them all out of detention, but class for the second and third years was delayed half an hour while they were being reprimanded and getting dressed. This was mainly because the two teachers doing the reprimanding happened to be the two teachers that the two year groups had first up.

The morning passed relatively smoothly up until lunchtime. We were all seated at Gryffindor table in the Great Hall when James and his guy friends entered late. They took the only seats left, which were near ours. James took one opposite me, and I gave him a hello and a quick glance before turning back to my conversation with Ariel. However, I had to do a double take. 

James was filling up my glass with pumpkin juice for me, and had a red rose between his teeth. I looked at him oddly. He removed it and grinned, offering it to me.

'For my lady love,' he said dramatically.

'You are going to take every opportunity to humiliate me with this, aren't you?' I sighed, taking the rose.

'Yep,' he replied, filling his own goblet.

'Paige will get annoyed, James,' Hilary tutted. 'You never gave _her_ roses.'

'She never gave me roses, either,' he said distractedly, too busy piling up his plate.

'Don't expect any from me,' I laughed.

'From you, Lily my dear, I expect nothing. Just having your beauty in my presence is enough for my poor soul.'

'James, you suck at that romantic crap,' Hilary said bluntly.

'I would like to hear Lily's opinion on that,' he told her poetically.

'James, you suck,' I said dryly. We all laughed.

'Shot down,' Sirius grinned, slapping James on the back.

'Thank you Lily, I love you too,' James said, pretending to be offended. 'Girls are so mean. You're so mean, Lily.'

'I'd watch it, mate. She may be your girlfriend for the week but it doesn't mean she has to speak to you,' Remus pointed out. 

'Yeah, James,' Hilary said, slapping her hand down of her brother's.

'You know what I feel like?' Bella asked slyly, taking a sip of her drink.

'What?' we all asked.

'Another episode of the homey touches show.'

There was a general murmur of agreement.

'Ariel hasn't seen the homey touches show, has she?' Remus asked.

'Nope. We'll have to make it a good one, Jamie,' I said.

'OK, Lily dear,' he grinned. 'I'll let you go first.'

I poked my tongue out at him before smiling at Ariel, who was listening intently. I turned back to face James.

'No, James. The pink heffalumps will simply_ not allow the man in the moon to dance while it is the shoes that lives in your earlobe that are ringing that bell because the roof is not green,' I said, as seriously as possible. James looked at me blankly for a moment. Then he caught on._

'But if it is the tooth fairy who declares himself king, then the marshmallows shall fall from the sky, all because of the orange thirteen painted on that tree which is simply so short there is no way you will reach the top of it. Especially not while the heffalumps are chasing the beansprouts that eat the purplangagoes.'

Everyone sitting nearby were all either in fits of laughter or giving us odd looks. I continued, still keeping my expression quite grave.

'But how shall you justify the watermelon in the pit of your stomach while the tree grows and the mermaid in the sky is delivering shoemakers below? It simply won't do, not while the coconuts are turning twenty one. They'll throw a party and the eyebrow tweezers might lose the legs the monkey huts gave them when they swung their tails.'

James seemed to have trouble coming up with something to add on, because he was trying to contain laughter.

'Ah, yes. Now I see what you mean. That could create a problem,' he said, not-so-intelligently. That was it. I lost it too.

After we had caught our breath, James and I looked at each other for a moment, grins on our faces and our eyes sparkling.

'When's the wedding?' April asked amusedly, coming up behind James and leaning on his shoulder.

'As soon as I can convince her,' James said, without skipping a beat.

'Which will be never,' I replied smoothly.

'Ah, this one I woo is such a tricky one. You know, back in my day, where I come from, they called her the ice maiden,' he said in a wheezy voice. I giggled.

'See what I mean? Why would such a young, drop dead gorgeous person like me want to marry an old man like him?'

Everyone laughed.

'I swear this on my grave, Lily flower; one day you will be wearing my ring on your finger.'

'You go on dreaming that, Jamie,' I responded, taking a swig of pumpkin juice.

'Nah, Lily. He dreams of much more interesting things,' Sirius said evilly. 'Still about you, though...'

'Another thing. Men have only one thing on their minds, and if you wait around for me, James, you will be dying a vessel of virtue. Because I don't plan on having sex until marriage, and as I have said, there's no way I'll be walking down the aisle with _you_.'

'Lily Flower, how you hurt my heart,' James said somberly, placing a hand to his heart.

By now quite a few people we listening in on our little charade.

'But still, I will not give up. And I'll have you know that right after marrying you, the next point on my to-do list in convincing you to share my bed.'

I shook my head.

'That is even less likely than marriage. Though then again, men are rather afraid of such a big commitment like that, aren't they? I daresay a man who can't keep a girlfriend longer than a week isn't going to fare well in being wed.'

'But those girls aren't _you, Lily. If you would consent, you would be mine for much longer than a week,' he sighed, placing a hand to his head._

'Better pay up, then, because there is a long line of people once I've finished with the likes of you. You can't possibly imagine how this little forfeit is messing up my dating plans.'

'How is it you can speak so carelessly of yourself just after mocking my own dating habits? You are a cruel woman, Miss Evans.'

'But it is not I that is chasing after myself now, is it, Mr Potter?'

'Love is blind; I see past that layer of ice. Into an eternal flame that I wish dearly will one day burn for me.'

'If ever a flame of mine is for you, James Potter, it will be an old one. Unless of course you are speaking of the flame that will be atop your head once I set your hair on fire!'

Our audience erupted into laughter.

Once they quieted down, James stood.

'I shall leave, if it pleases you,' he said with a bow. 'But first let me ask you this; if you do, as you say, think nothing of my courtship, why, pray tell, did you accept my gift?' He gestured to the rose. 'Is it not the same as me giving myself?'

'A woman never neglects a pretty flower, no matter who the giver may be. May I also comment that if you did try to give yourself in a rather similar way I would _not_ accept, since prickly thorn bushes do not classify as a pretty flower,' I said as delicately as possible, giving James a satisfied smile. Everyone ooed. One thing was for sure. I had won that round.

'And I'm terribly sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but that is the end of the homey touches show for today,' James said, his eyes never leaving mine. Bella and Sirius clapped, and most of the other people that had been listening in shook their heads in amusement. We didn't have a chance to say much more, because at that point McGonagall strode over and hurried us all along to our next class.

* * *

'You like James, don't you?' Ariel asked with amusement that afternoon in the Common Room. I was reading a book, but looked up from it to stare at her.

'As a friend.'

'No, I zink you like him more zan zat. He likes you, too.'

'James and I are best friends,' I said, laughing. 'All that back there? It's just an act.'

'It's odd, you know. A male and female being so close to each uzzer as you two are,' she replied, eyes still narrowed playfully.

'I would have thought it was odd too, but after I discovered I was a witch nothing's really been that odd to me.'

'Well, even if you do not like him, I zink he likes you.'

I shook my head. 

'James likes Tara,' I said, eyes wandering back to my book.

'Tara? Is she in your year?'

'No. James's. She's in Gryffindor, though.'

Ariel nodded.

'I also find it strange how you all hang around so much with ze year above you. At Beauxbatons, everyone keeps within zeir year.'

'James was the first person I met here. Him and the boys came into my compartment. Then I met Bella and she came and sat with us. I talked with James and she talked with Sirius. Plus Hilary is James's sister. We just all enjoy each other's company. Well, maybe James and Hilary don't enjoy each other's company, but anyway...' I grinned, trailing off and shrugging.

We were interrupted by a high pitched scream, and minutes later Sirius and James came down the stairs holding their arms up to shield their faces and ducking pillows that Bella and Hilary were throwing at them from the second landing.

'Jerks!' Bella screeched, throwing her slipper. Sirius got hit in the back and he cursed loudly. I gazed up at them in bewilderment.

'We were just -'

'You could have knocked! I was getting dressed!' Bella exclaimed angrily.

'It's a bloody girl's dormitory! You do not just waltz in!' Hilary added, tossing another pillow at her brother. He dodged it.

'Geez! Settle down! It's not like we saw anyth -'

'I DON'T CARE! YOU DO NOT JUST THROW OPEN THE DOOR AND COME IN WHENEVER YOU WANT!' Hilary screeched, taking the second slipper from Bella and throwing it hard at Sirius. It hit the wall.

'We get the point!' James yelled back.

'Don't talk to me!' Hilary huffed, picking up the remaining objects and dragging Bella back upstairs. 

Ariel and I looked at each other and giggled.

James shot me a furtive look as he and Sirius sat down on the couch facing ours.

'Hey, hot stuff,' he said, grinning suddenly. I rolled my eyes.

'Hello, James.'

'No, Lily! He was talking to me,' Sirius insisted, fluttering his eyelashes at James, who gave him a disgusted look.

'You're not going... _gay_ on us, are you?' he asked.

'Kiss me,' Sirius whispered dramatically, fluttering his eyes and blowing James a kiss.

This only seemed to revolt James further.

'I'd do anything for you, James dear!' Sirius sighed, standing. He wobbled dizzily, then placed a hand to his forehead and fainted at James's feet.

'Get away from me, freak,' he said, pushing Sirius away.

'Don't hit me there! That's where I got hit with a slipper!' Sirius whined.

'You're the one that went in the girl's dormitories. You're not meant to go in there.'

Sirius put a hand on his hip and looked at me.

'That is _so_ not the point!' he said in his hi-my-name-is-Paige-and-my-head-is-up-my-arse voice.

Ariel laughed.

'Your friends are crazy,' she said, shaking her head. Her long braid of silvery blonde hair swung with the movement.

'No! It is _you_ who is crazy!' James said, shaking his head. 'We are perfectly normal.'

'Normal my ass.'

'Speaking of which, Lily dear, you really do have a nice ass.'

I gaped at him disbelievingly.

'And you would be looking?' I asked him.

'All the time,' he grinned.

'James!'

As much as I was used to our little joke sessions, I couldn't help my cheeks growing slightly warm when he said that. 

'James, keep it in your pants, mate,' Sirius said. 'So Ariel. You're leaving at the end of this week, right?'

'_Oui_. Back to all the freezing weazzer,' she sighed, giving a shiver. 'I 'ave grown used to ze warmer climate 'ere. It will be strange, going back.'

'I'm going to France. One day,' I said wistfully.

'You will 'ave to come and visit,' Ariel smiled. 

'If I'm ever there, I will come and see you,' I grinned. 'I have to go to New York and see Joey, too. Plus Bella wants to drag me off to Italy. Don't ask me where I'm going to get the money to pay for airfares, though.'

'Apparate,' Ariel suggested.

'Can't. It's too far, you can't apparate from country to country,' James said, staring at something on the ground.

'You should be able to though, I reckon,' Sirius said. 'It would be so much easier.'

'Nah, because then a holiday wouldn't be special since you could go anywhere whenever you wanted,' I said.

'Freak fury thinking again,' Sirius mouthed, pointing his thumb at me and doing the crazy sign.

'Shut up Sirius,' I told him, rolling my eyes. 'You're so childish.'

'Yeah, Sirius,' James said in a girly voice. 'You're so childish. Act your age, not your shoe size.'

I laughed.

'My mum says that,' Sirius groaned.

'My mum says, act your age, not your IQ,' I said.

James acted horrified.

'That's not very nice. Either way. Because if she's saying you're acting childish, then that's insulting your IQ. And if she's implying that you're acting too old, that just insults your youth.'

'James, shut up,' I grinned.

Sirius laughed and poked him.

'Yeah, James. You're so childish...'

I rolled my eyes.

God save me from the teenage boys.

~~~~~~~~~~~

WOOHOO! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG CHAPTER! *does some freaky dance that hopefully doesn't scare you all away*

I am very happy for some reason. We did the 1km run today and I feel buggered and we had maths last so don't ask me why I'm happy I just am. Oh yeah and I now have a boyfriend thanks to my friends who asked someone out without asking me first so now I'm going out with this guy I hardly know. Hmm. Odd. 

*babbles on about absolutely nothing for the next ten minutes* *meanwhile everyone is falling asleep*

For those of you that are still awake: thank you for all the reviews! I had a little writers block with this chapter, so it's mainly a load of bull**** but I tried to make up for it in humour and length. Hope it's OK.

Happy pink elephant day to you! (The cauliflowers told me I had to say that)

SezZie

PS: You know that load of nonsense James and Lily say? That's an actual conversation me and Christy had the other day. We call it nonsense debates and if you make sense you're out. *laughs hysterically* OK I'm jut a tad hyper. Toodles!


	14. Ordinary Girl

Sorry about the delay, guys! I had the chapter finished awhile ago but I not the time to update! It's another pretty long one, to make up for it. J

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ Ordinary Girl ~*~

_~Ain't no superwoman_

_~Nope_

_~I'm just me_

_~Ain't no Joan of Arc_

_~Ain't no Cleopatra_

_~Didn't save no countries_

_~Didn't win no war_

_~Ain't no famous inventor_

_~Didn't sail no sees_

_~Ain't no superwoman_

_~Nope_

_~I'm just me_

Life was a barrel of laughs over the next week. And at the center of it all, was James Potter.

Flowers, poems, chocolates; just about every romantic gift under the sun. Name it, and I got it. No doubt it was supplying him with hours of endless entertainment, thinking up what he was going to present me with the next day. 

James's behaviour was actually quite surprising. Plenty of people gave him a hard time about it, teased him for being girly. But he ignored the remarks, not caring at all about what people thought. Then again, that was how James gained respect.

It was one day until the end of the week. One day until Ariel left, and one day until James and I were a couple no longer. And this therefore meant James wanted to make as much as he could of the small time left.

I was walking past him to sit down on a lounge just across from where he was seated that evening when he pulled me down into his lap.

'Hey!' I exclaimed.

'Hello to you too,' he grinned.

'Hello, James,' I said, rolling my eyes.

'Hello, James,' Bella mimicked, making kissy faces.

I poked my tongue out at her.

'So James,' she said, pulling hair out of her face. 'Does this mean you really like Lily? I mean, you always used to tell us otherwise, but now you two are going out...'

I sighed.

This was another thing that came with the outcome of the football match. Not only did we have half the school asking that question fifty times a day, we also had Hilary and Bella repeating it fifty times a day. That meant hearing "Do you two really like each other, then?" one hundred times a day. It didn't help that James always gave the same answer.

'Why must you ask this question? Isn't it obvious that Lily is the love of my life?'

I made a noise of protest and leaned heavily against James, bumping him against the back of the lounge. He just tightened his grip around my waist and changed position slightly, so I couldn't repeat the attack.

'Calm down, tiger,' he said soothingly. 

I glared at him.

'Don't glare at James, Lily,' Bella said. 'God knows what kinds of things he'd hear, with all the helpless people he's tormented.'

James and I both looked at Bella in shock.

'James isn't affected by it,' I told her.

Surprise crossed her face.

'How come?'

We both shrugged.

'He just doesn't,' I said. 

'Interesting,' she said, rubbing her eyes.

'Tired?' I asked.

She nodded.

'Have you asked the Ambitometer about it?'

It was my turn to be surprised. I had completely forgotten about the Ambitometer.

'Be right back,' I said, jumping out of James's lap and dashing up the stairs. Inside our dorm I went right to my bed and fished underneath it for the pouch I kept the Ambitometer in and pulled it out, heading back downstairs.

'Got it,' I said, shocking myself by sitting back down on James.

He and Bella must have been thinking along the same lines, because they both smirked at me, eyebrows raised. I chose to ignore them.

'What should I ask it?'

'Why isn't James affected by you,' Bella said, in the tone one would use when pointing out the sky was blue.

'Alrighty then,' I said, gripping the Ambitometer tightly in my hands and staring into the small world inside.

It was completely green now; the only other colours being scattered flowers. I took a deep breath before concentrating really hard.

Seconds later, the phoenix began to move.

_Emerald eyes fathom the soul_

_Enforce revenge takes its toll_

_Regrets within it does awaken_

_A curse for a gift mistaken _

It paused here, and I had thought it had finished.

'Well, duh, we already knew that,' I sighed. 

But then the phoenix kept going.__

_Mirror deep, and mirror strong_

_Yet the mirror returns no wrong_

_As upon oneself no pain inflict_

_Connection to the soul remains too thick_

'Okaaaaaaay then,' I said after a moment's silence.__

'Deep,' James commented.

'Unfathomably,' Bella agreed.

'It was a load of nonsense, wasn't it?' I asked.

'It no doubt makes sense in its opinion,' James shrugged._ 'You should write it down, Lily. It might make sense later.'_

'I write them all down,' I said, slipping the Ambitometer back inside its pouch.

'Can you remember it?'

I nodded.

'Crystal clear,' I said. 'I can always remember what it says, for some reason.'

'Yeah, well. You do have some freaky connection with that thing,' Bella said.

'I guess,' I shrugged, tucking my hair behind my ears. Just then, I noticed something.

'Where's Sirius?' I asked.

James and Bella made a joint noise of vexation.

'This doesn't sound good,' I said lightly. 'What has he done this time?'

'It's more a question of what he _hasn't done,' James replied just as lightly, although I could tell he was annoyed. I slipped off his lap and into the space next to him, instead swinging my legs up to rest them across this knees._

'Explain.'

'For one, he thinks he's too cool for us. He's ditched us for a group of fourth years that don't even know his name,' James huffed.

'Secondly, he dumped me for one of said fourth years. A ditzy blonde that doesn't know the difference between day and night,' Bella contributed. James continued before I could get a word in.

'Thirdly, he borrowed my invisibility cloak so that he and his new friends could pull a prank.'

'Oh,' was all I could say. 'Rude.'

'Yeah,' Bella nodded. 'He's being a prick.'

'Sounds like it. Um... what are you doing?' I looked at James, who had tugged my shoes off.

'Taking your shoes off,' he said innocently. 

I looked at him suspiciously before turning back to Bella.

'So did he drop you personally, or get someone else to do the dirty work for him?'

'He got me to do it,' James said. 'Actually, I asked him if he wanted me to. Honestly I don't think it even crossed his mind to drop Bella before going out with Dee.'

'Dee?' I echoed.

'The girl,' Bella said stormily.

'Oh. Of course.'

I felt quite stupid.

'Are you quite alright?' I asked James. He was massaging my feet. He stopped immediately, and I looked at him oddly.

'Leave him alone, Lily,' Bella laughed. 'I wish I had a boyfriend that massaged my feet.'

'He's not my -' I stopped mid-protest. 'Well, only for another day.'

'Are you going to dump me tomorrow?' James asked, pretending to be saddened.

'I'm afraid so,' I grinned.

'I'll just have to beat you to it,' he grinned back.

'In your dreams, Potter.'

'Wait and see, Evans.'

'Belle, back me up. I will win, will I not?'

'Of course,' Bella supplied, giving me the thumbs up. 'You're going down, Potter.'

'Never been dumped in my life,' James said smugly.

'That's all about to change,' I returned coolly.

'Break it up,' Bella said good naturedly.

'James, I think you have an unhealthy fascination with my feet.'

'What's unhealthy about it?' he asked, looking up at me.

'It's just unhealthy. No explanation needed.'

'That's not a good reason,' he said in a whiney voice. 'Why, mummy?'

I raised an eyebrow.

'Mummy?'

'Yeah. Lily's gonna be a great little mum,' he teased, pinching my cheek. 'All the little kiddies crawling around her feet. All the little poopy nappies... And she'll love every little bit.'

'Even the poopy nappies?' Bella asked.

'Especially the poopy nappies. Nah, but seriously. She's crazy. She wants kids. What do you want to call it? Harry?'

'You remembered that?' I asked, surprised.

'Only because it's my middle name,' he shrugged.

'James has to agree on this name too, though, Lily. He is the daddy,' Bella said solemnly.

'I like Harry. Harry is a good name. I suppose it would be an alright name.'

'I'm so glad I have your permission to name my child,' I said sarcastically.

'I think we should wait a few years before kids, though. Wouldn't want them to interfere with our sex life.'

'Ew!' I exclaimed, hitting James playfully. 'That is wrong. Besides, I've already told you. There is no way I am marrying you, _or_ sleeping with you. Let alone having _your_ child. Gods, think what it would look like. And I'd go nuts having to comb that hair every day!'

'My hair isn't that bad,' James said sulkily. 'But your insults have no affect on my, O object of my affections. You do no wrong in my eyes.'

'That could be good to know for future situations,' I said amusedly.

'One day you will be mine. And since it is your desire to have a child, I suppose I could make sacrifices. But only if you get all the poopy nappies.'

'It's never gonna happen, mate.' 

'I am a Seer, and my Inner Eye has revealed to me that one day it will indeed be so.'

'I regret to inform you that your Inner Eye is positively crappy,' I told him with exaggerated distaste. 'And yes, James, I did just say crappy.'

'You know me too well,' James said, grinning.

'You two know each other too well. You're freaky. I think she knows more about you than she does about me. And you probably know more about her than I do,' Bella said, pretending to be offended.

'Try me,' I said, sitting up a bit more.

'OK. Birthdays?'

'Yours is the twenty first of December. James's is the twenty second of September.'

'Favourite colours?'

'Yours is purple, James's is blue.'

'Parents's names?'

'I don't know yours. James's are Sarah and Charles, but I only know that because I have to call them that.'

'Alright then. Um, Quidditch Team?'

'James's is Puddlemere United... and yours is... Chudley Cannons?' 

Bella scrunched up her nose.

'Uh-uh. Sorry. I go for the Falcons. How about siblings?'

'You; none. James; a sister. Hilary,' I grinned.

'Yep. Crushes?'

'James likes Tara. And you... well you've always liked Sirius. But you don't at the moment. Do you even have a crush on anyone?' I asked.

Bella nodded.

'Er, Rhys?'

'Nope. Ian.'

'Since when?' I demanded. 'Why wasn't I informed of this?'

'Because I only decided I liked him when Sirius and I broke up,' Bella replied. 'Anyways, you ask us some questions now.'

'OK. Who do I have a crush on?'

'James,' Bella said immediately. 'Nah, I reckon you like Gray still. I don't know. You never tell me.'

'What do you think?' I asked James, smiling mysteriously.

'Nobody,' he replied lazily.

'Yep. I don't like anyone at the moment. I never tell you who I have a crush on because I don't have a crush,' I told Bella. 'When's my birthday?'

'Twentieth of June,' they said together.

'Favourite colour?'

'Green,' they said in unison again.

'I need harder questions,' I said thoughtfully. 'What's my favourite subject?'

'Charms.'

'OK, now that wasn't hard, was it?' I said, shaking my head at myself. 'How about this; if I was an animal, what would I be?'

'How would I know?' Bella asked.

'A fox,' James said quietly, turning my big toe in small circles. I wriggled my toes.

'Yeah. That's why Firregaze is normally a fox,' I said softly, feeling slightly saddened at the thought of Firregaze.

Bella was tapping her foot and bobbing her head to some silent rhythm. 

'I feel like dancing,' she said lightly.

'Really?' I asked, swinging my legs off James and standing up, stretching. 

She nodded, standing up also.

'I have a song stuck in my head.'

'Oh, I hate that,' I said, pulling my hair back. 'What song?'

'My mamma said, you can't hurry love. No, you'll just have to wait,' she sung.

'She said, love don't come easy,' I smiled, joining in.

'It's a game of give and take, you can't hurry love. No, you'll just have to wait. Love don't come easy. It's game of give and take, how long must I wait? How much more must I take...'

James rolled his eyes.

'Oh please,' he sighed.

I poked my tongue out at him. A mischievous look came onto m face. 

'You walked into the party, like you were walking onto a yacht. You had one eye in the mirror as you watched yourself go by,' I sung, looking at him as I did so.

'And all of the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner, they'd be your partner. And you're so vain, you're you probably think this song is about you. You're so vain, I bet you think this song is about you, don't you? Don't you?'

'I think they had James in mind when they wrote that,' Bella grinned.

'Definitely,' I laughed.

'I'll bet the person that wrote it was just as ignorant as you two, too,' he replied.

'And we all know what James's theme song is,' I added, giggling.

'What would that be?' he asked, eyebrow raised.

'Paradise by the Dashboard Light,' I laughed.

Bella giggled.

'And now I'm praying for the end of time. It's all that I can do, do, do... so I can end my time with you.' She brought her arms up in the air then back down to point at me as she sung the last word. She wriggled with excitement. 'Oh my god, I love that song!'

'Me too. I have the tape,' I said.

'Here? Oh my gosh, come on,' Bella said, grabbing my arm and dragging me up the stairs.

I had brought my tape deck and a small number of tapes to Hogwarts to listen to, but the occasions I'd had to listen to them had been rare.

Whistling the tune as I flicked through my tapes, I quickly found it and slipped it into the player.

Bella grinned and grabbed my hands, dancing with me as she sung at the top of her lungs. I soon joined in.

' SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1_Now I remember every little thing as if it happened only yesterday_

_Parked on down by the lake and there was not another car in sight___

_And I never had a girl, looking any better than you did_

_And all the kids at school, they were wishin' they were me that night_

_Now the party's over, so close in tight_

_It never felt so good, it never felt so right_

_And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife, _

_Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife_

_So come on, hold on tight_

_Now come on, hold on tight_

_Though it's cold and lonely in the deep, dark night_

_I can see paradise by the dashboard light...'_

Bella and I listened intently, laughing at the baseball commentary playing. As it neared its end, she jumped up on the bed.__

_'Stop right there_

_I gotta know right now _

_Before we go any further_

_Do love me?_

_Will you love me forever?_

_Do you need me?_

_Will you never leave me?_

_Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?_

_Will you take me away, will you make me your wife?_

_Do love me?_

_Will you love me forever?_

_Do you need me?_

_Will you never leave me?_

_Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?_

_Will you take me away, will you make me your wife?_

_I gotta know right now _

_Before we go any further_

_Do you love me?_

_Will you love me forever?'_

I jumped up next to her.__

_'Let me sleep on it_

_Baby, baby let me sleep on it_

_Let me sleep on it_

_I'll give you an answer in the morning_

_Let me sleep on it_

_Baby, baby let me sleep on it_

_Let me sleep on it_

_I'll give you an answer in the morning.'_

We danced around for the next part, inventing moves as twelve year olds do. When the song was reaching the finish, Bella started singing again.

_'So now I'm praying for the end of time_

_To hurry up and arrive_

_Because if I've gotta spend another minute with you_

_I don't think that I could really survive_

_I'd never break my promise or forget my vows_

_But gods only knows what I could do right now_

_So I'm praying for the end of time_

_It's all that I can do, do, do..._

_So I can end my time with you.' ___

I grabbed my hairbrush from my bedside table to use as a microphone.It was perfect. Letting lose and going crazy. Not caring what anybody thought._ I was having a ball just being me. An ordinary girl, having fun. Just ordinary fun._

_'It was long ago_

_It was far away_

_It was far more better than it is today_

_It was long ago_

_It was far away_

_It was far more better than it is today_

_And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife_

_Never felt so good, never felt so right_

_Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife_

_It never felt so good, it never felt so right...'_

'Encore, encore!'

Bella and I both stun around at the sound of clapping and someone's voice. 

Hilary and Toni were at the door, big grins on their faces.

I put a hand over my mouth, embarrassed.

'How long have you been there?' I asked.

'For about five minutes. James warned us we might be walking in on a mini concert.'

Bella clicked her fingers and raised a deodorant can to her lips as the next song came on.  __

'Summer lovin', had me a blast.'

'Summer lovin', happened so fast,' I added.

'I met a girl, crazy for me.'

'I met a boy, cute as can be,' I said in a ditzy voice, twirling some hair around my finger. Bella bounced over to Hilary and took her hands in her own, forcing her to dance. I did the same to Toni.

'_Summer days, drifting away_

_Ooh-uh, on a summer night_

_A-wella-wella-wella-uh_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_Did you get very far?_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_Like does he have a car_

_Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh...'_

'Freaks,' Hilary laughed, but she joined in anyway.

* * *

'Ssh,' I hissed. 'You have to be quiet.'

'What do you need the cloak for, anyway? And where did you sneak off to before?' Bella asked me as we tiptoed up the stairs towards the third year boys's dorm.

'Can't tell you. You'll have to wait until tomorrow. All I'm going to say is that I _am_ going to dump James, and I'm going to do it in style. But in order for me to beat him to it, I can't let him see me tomorrow morning until... after my plan. Make sure it doesn't creak when you open it,' I chided softly as she reached for the door handle. It opened, and she placed a finger to her lips. I nodded, and followed her inside.

Bella began to filter through the junk strewn over the floor while I moved towards James's trunk. It was pure luck on my part that it was already open, so I didn't have to risk making noise by lifting the lid.

I glanced at James.

He was sleeping on his stomach, head turned to the side and arms tucked beneath his pillow. The red quilt covered him up to just below his shoulders, which were bare. The quilt was rising and falling softly. I observed this motion for a moment, making sure his breathing was regular, confirming he was properly asleep. Then I looked into his trunk.

There was one word to describe it; messy. Utterly and unmistakably chaotic. How he found anything in there was beyond me. 

Sighing and lowering myself down to my knees, I looked over at Bella. She was rifling through Sirius's trunk.

I turned back to James's and pushed some things aside. There, at the very bottom, was small patch of shimmery fabric. I grabbed it and tugged, and soon the cloak came free. I quietly folded it, trying to mask any rustling, and stood.

'Bella,' I whispered softly. She looked up, and I held up the cloak. She gave me the thumbs up, and we headed for the door. We had almost made it when I tripped on something, sending it rolling across the floor, making a clunking noise. I froze, then hurriedly motioned Bella over. We slipped under the cloak, holding our breath as Remus stirred. 

After what seemed like eternity, everything was still again. I listened intently for the rhythmic breathing of the five boys, then slowly made for the door. Once we were outside, I slipped out from under the cloak and quietly shut it behind us. We tiptoed back down the stairs, then slumped against a wall in the Common Room.

Bella and I looked at each other.

'Phew,' we said together, grinning.

'That was close,' Bella whispered. 'This so better be worth it.'

'Don't worry,' I assured her as we made our way back up to our dorm, the cloak tucked under my arm.

'It will be.'

~~~~~~~~AUTHORS NOTE~~~~~~~~~~~

OK, I made a few mistakes in the last chapter that a few people picked up on that I'll put in here because I really can't be bothered correcting them:

1. France is warmer than England, apparently. I'm taking people's word on this since I live in Australia over the other side of the world and wouldn't have a clue.

2. Soccer in England is football. Again, I'm an Aussie and we call it soccer, since we too have invented our own football called Australian Rules. Apologies.

3. My French is not that crash hot because... big drum role... I used translator.com! I admit it! I cannot speak French! Well, I can, but only very basic. I am much more better at Italian.

4. Hmm. I don't think there was a number four. Oh well.

Next chapter: more L/J interactions (I know a lot of you want more Homey Touches/Nonsense Debates), we find out Lily's plan for dumping James, Ariel's goodbye feast, and maybe a bit about Firregaze. Maybe.

Anyways, I don't have anything else to say, so I'll go now.

Cheers n Beers,

                      SezZie

ps: Ooooooooh! Oooooooooooooh! No, wait. I forgot. 

*sighs* 

Never mind.

Pps: I remember now! OK, little vote thingy:

Should I either

1. Continue with the story as I am now, doing each year extensively.

OR

2. Skip to the fifth year, where more exciting stuff happens. 

This will make the story still rather long but not AS long, and it will be more interesting rather than a whole load of crap like it has been lately leading up to the cool stuff.

Just wanted to know your opinion. Either way, I will still finish off this year first. But let me know.

Oh yeah, and this may help you in your decision: Lily and James don't get together until end of sixth year. So if we skip ahead, they get together quicker. 

Kelly: VOTE TO SKIP AHEAD OR I SHALL CURSE YOUR FAMILIES! I WANT LILY AND JAMES TOGETHER **NOW!**

Sarah: Kelly, go away. Nobody likes you, OK?

Kelly: 0__0;; Hmph.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~DISCLAIMER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JK owns Harry Potter stuff. 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light' belongs to someone I can't remember. You should listen to it sometime. It's a pretty cool song for an oldie. Carly Simmons owns 'You're So Vain'. 'Summer Nights' is of course from Grease, and is by John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.


	15. Dumped, Dropped And Disengaged

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ Dumped, Dropped, and Disengaged ~*~__

_~Can't believe you let me go_

_~Just to let me know_

_~You were king of the castle_

_~Can't believe it_

_~Just to let me know_

_~You still wore the crown_

_~Can't believe you let me go_

_~Just to let me know_

_~You were king of the castle_

_~But bet you can't believe_

_~That when you let me go_

_~Surprise, you got to know_

_~That I was still the queen_

There is no way Lily is going to win that bet,' Hilary laughed, pulling on her robes. 'James has never been dumped in his life!'

'I'm not so sure,' Bella replied. 'She's been up to something.'

'Belle, James has been up to something all his life. Lily's my best friend, but I can't see her coming up with something to outdo my brother.'

'I guess we'll see soon, won't we?' Bella sighed.

I grinned as I slipped silently out the door, making sure I was completely covered by the cloak. 

I moved down towards the Common Room, where James and Remus where seated on a lounge. James was pulling on his socks. I paused to listen to their conversation.

'Why are you in such a hurry, anyway?' Remus asked.

'There's a... challenge. That I'm going to win, but it all involves in me getting down to breakfast first.'

I rolled my eyes. If that was his plan, it was pretty poor. I had been ready for ages; I could have beat him to breakfast by nearly an hour.

'Let me guess? You're trying to dump Lily before she dumps you? Bella told me all about it.'

'Ooooooh, you and Bella, huh?' James teased, grinning at Remus.

'I don't really see why you even want to break it off with Lily. You're totally in love with her.'

'Even if I was, Remus my friend, she would break it off. Therefore I have to beat her to it.'

'Oh, so you do love her?'

'I didn't say that.'

Having heard enough, I moved to a position near the Portrait Hole and got myself comfortable for the wait ahead. 

About ten years later and James and Remus actually made their way down to breakfast. Taking care to remain underneath the invisibility cloak, I shuffled out after them.

We had just made it inside the hall when James was approached by the last person I would ever want to see, let alone deal with first thing in the morning.

Malfoy.

'Oh, look. It's Saint Potter,' he drawled disdainfully.

'Oh, look. It's Dunderhead Malfoy,' James mocked in bored tone. 'Move out of my way.'

'She's not here yet,' Malfoy laughed.

'Who?'

'Your girlfriend. That is who you're so _eager to see, isn't it? My, what a surprise I got when I heard that you had stooped so low as to date a mudblood.'_

My cheeks were growing hot, and I had to back away to stop myself from exposing myself in anger.

'Shut up,' James warned icily. 

'What's it to you who James dates, anyway?' Remus asked darkly. 'We could make comments on the girls that take your fancy, but we don't.'

'May I remind you who you are dealing with here, Mr Lupin,' Malfoy said coldly.

'Like we could forget what a numbskull you are, Lucius,' James laughed bitterly.

I chewed my lip. 

James was usually good at controlling his temper, but Malfoy was just as good as making it snap.

'Watch your tongue around a Prefect, Potter,' was the sneered retort.

James gave another hollow laugh.

'You should know by now, detentions mean nothing to me. Now leave me alone and let me go eat my breakfast.'

'You know, not many would have done what you did. Drop one of the hottest girls in the school that just happens to be the Minister's daughter. Especially not for a little wench like Evans.'

James flew at Malfoy, his eyes flashing angrily. My hand flew to my mouth. Luckily for Malfoy, Remus stopped him. James struggled, but was held back.

'What makes Lily so different to you? Why, out of all the muggle borns out there, did you pick her?'

'Because, Potter. She's the only one stupid enough to believe she can win.'

'You must be really scared of her,' James said quietly. 'Or you wouldn't bother.'

Remus released him, and for I minute I thought he was going to attack again, but he didn't move. Instead he turned his back to Malfoy and walked away. 

I stood for a moment, completely and utterly shocked. I glared angrily at Malfoy, who was gazing maliciously after James. And for a moment, I was so touched by how James defended me that I began to reconsider what I was doing. But I knew James could handle a joke.

Just then Bella and Hilary filtered in. James and Remus were seated with Peter, and I moved slowly down the aisle to stand behind where James was seated.

'She can't avoid me all day,' he told Remus, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

Minutes later and I heard the rustle I had been waiting for. I had my fingers crossed behind my back as hundreds of owls swooped down into the Hall.

Garnet was amongst them, and grasped between her claws was a single, red, envelope.

She fluttered down in front of James, and I bit my lip, smiling in satisfaction. James didn't notice her at first, but eventually his attention turned towards the bird and the envelope. The red envelope, with smoke seeping out the sides.

Eventually, Remus's and Peter's gazes fell upon it too, along with some others seated nearby. Everybody was looking at James. Some with sympathy, others with amusement. Looking severely puzzled, James cautiously opened the flap.

'HOW DARE YOU, JAMES POTTER? I REALLY CANNOT BELIEVE YOU! I TRULY THOUGHT OUR FRIENDSHIP MEANT MORE TO YOU THAN THIS! HOW COULD YOU EVEN _CONSIDER CHEATING ON SOMEONE? I NEVER THOUGHT YOU'D STOOP THIS LOW! YOU KNOW WHAT, I REALLY HOPE THINGS WORK OUT BETWEEN YOU. THAT YOU GET MARRIED, HAVE KIDS, GET FAT, GROW OLD TOGETHER THEN **DIE! AND IN CASE IT'S TOO HARD FOR THAT MINUSCULE LITTLE THING YOU CALL A BRAIN TO COMPREHEND, LET ME ELABORATE A LITTLE FOR YOU: THIS MEANS WE'RE _OVER!_'**_

The letter burst into flames and fell as a pile of ashes onto the table. James was staring at it with a fairly calm look on his face. Most people were looking at James in either shock, amusement or scandal, while the group of footballers that knew the true story between our "going out" were laughing uncontrollably. Chatter began to fill the Hall, everyone muttering about James Potter's being ditched.

Grinning from ear to ear and unable to resist the temptation any longer, I leaned in towards him.

'Shot down,' I murmured loud enough for him to hear before backing away. His head shot around, and he narrowed his eyes.

'Alright, Lily Evans,' he laughed, running a hand through his hair. 'You win. Where are you?'

'Wouldn't you like to know,' I laughed back, moving right away and turning to leave the Hall.

James stood and followed, although I could tell he wasn't quite sure if I was going the same way as him.

Once we were out of the Hall and far enough down the corridor, I stooped and took of the cloak, smiling at him with deep satisfaction.

'You got me,' he admitted, raising his palms.

'Big time,' I added, nodding.

'Big time,' he sighed.

'And who was the first person to dump James Potter?'

'The one and only Lily Evans,' he grinned, snatching the cloak off me. 'When did you get this?'

'Last night. Bella and I invaded your room.'

'Ah. So she was in on this too, huh?'

'Only getting the cloak. She didn't know about the howler.'

'Evans strikes again,' James laughed. 'A lot of people doubt her because she doesn't strike often, but when she does...'

'She's deadly,' I finished, pursing my lips in a half smile. 

I was deeply amused.

'I really can't believe you did it,' he sighed, running a hand through his hair again. 'It was...'

'Ingenious?'

'Pretty much, yeah. I wouldn't have thought of it.'

Suddenly I thought back to earlier and my mood changed.

'Thank you, for before. With Malfoy...' I said softly.

'You heard it?' James asked, frowning.

'Yeah. Thanks for sticking up for me.'

He shrugged.

'No prob. So, have you been following me around all morning?'

'Pretty much,' I laughed.

'Sneaky little fox. We'll make a marauder out of you yet!' he grinned.

'Marauder?' I echoed.

'Cool, huh? Me and Sirius and Remus and Peter...' he trailed off, and a scowl slipped into his face. 'Well, maybe not Sirius. Traitor.'

I rolled my eyes.

'He'll come around soon enough.'

'If anyone still wants to know him by then.'

I looked down at my watch.

'I should start heading to class. I have Potions...'

'Lucky you,' James laughed. 'I have to run this up to Gryffindor Tower now, you freak.'

'Don't call me a freak,' I pouted, crossing my arms and giving James an exaggerated moue.

'There goes Lily trying to be sexy again.'

'Trying? I don't have to try; I already am. Every little inch of me is dripping with sexiness,' I said, posing.

'Oh yes,' James agreed. 'See you later.'

'Bye,' I grinned, giving him a little wave.

With a sigh, I headed towards potions, praying to the heavens that by some miracle Focena had come down with a mysterious illness.

* * *

That night we had a feast in honour of Ariel, since she was leaving. There was a big banner hanging over Gryffindor table saying "Au Revoir, Ariel", that Bella had helped make. We all signed it so she could take it home and remember her time at Hogwarts. 

All in all I wasn't that sad that she was leaving; as nice as she was she sometimes just annoyed me for some reason. I was also looking forward to going back home at the end of the month. So much had happened during the year that I really wanted it to end so we could all start afresh.

Despite the things that had happened during the year, though, it had passed surprisingly quickly. Exams were nearing, and we all spent quite a bit of time studying profusely and trying to ignore James and Sirius, who managed to go every year without studying and still coming out top of their classes. I was wondering what was going to happen this year, now that they had Divination.

'What iz wrong, Lily?' Ariel asked, nudging me.

'Huh? Oh, nothing. Just thinking.'

'About James?' she teased, following my gaze. In actual fact, I had been looking past James at Sirius, who was seated with who I supposed were the fourth years James and Bella ha mentioned.

'No,' I said, elbowing her. She laughed.

'I will certainly mizz it 'ere,' she sighed.

'But you probably miss home more. I wouldn't be able to stay in another country away from my friends and family for as long as you have. I'd go mad.'

'You're already mad,' Bella said. 'Stark raving mad.'

'Shut up,' I said sulkily.

'Stark raving mad, stark raving mad. Stark raving mad, stark raving -'

Toni, who was sitting next to her, clamped a hand over Bella's mouth. She withdrew it quite quickly, however.

'Ow!' she shrieked.

'Belle, eat your tea and not Toni,' I said.

'Yes, mum.'

'Yeveges, muvugum,' Hilary mimicked.

'And what funny little language of yours is that?' Toni laughed.

'It soundz a bit like mermish,' Ariel said curiously.

'It's Avegivoguv,' I said.

'It's _what?_' Bella asked.

'Avegivoguv,' Hilary repeated. He turned to me. 'How do you know it?'

'Joey and I used to use it. In fact, most of the girls did. We used to drive the boys mad.'

'Speak zum more,' Ariel requested.

'Hevegellovogo Avagarivigievegel,' I said. 'Hello Ariel.'

'Hivigi, Livigilivigy,' Hilary said. 'Hovogow avagare yovogu?'

'Govogood,' I grinned. 'Hovogow avagabovogout yovogou?'

'Grevegate, thavaganks.'

'How the hell do you speak it?' Bella demanded. 'You have to teach it to me.'

'Well, you replace the vowel sound in each syllable with "uvuguv", except instead of using u's in it you use whatever vowel it was. So for "hi", you replace the "i" with "ivigiv". Your name is Bevegellavaga. But it's hard to teach it to someone. You usually start off by listening to it, then you begin to understand it. And slowly you learn to speak it.'

'Hang on, let me have a go,' Bella said. 'OK. So would "cat" be... "cavagat"?'

'Yep,' Hilary nodded.

'And how do you say long words? Aren't they hard? What's "hysterical"?'

'Hivigistevegerivigicavagal.'

'Wow. OK then. I don't know how you do that,' she laughed.

'You'll pick up on it,' I shrugged.

'Having a nice last dinner?' James asked, coming over and squeezing in between me and Bella.

'James,' I whined. 'You're making it squishy.'

'And there's no one I'd rather be squished up with,' he replied, fluttering his eyelashes.

'Yes, Jamsie, and I'm sure Bella loves it too,' I laughed, moving over a little.

'I was talking about you, you freak,' he said, poking me.

'Don't poke me.'

'Why not?' he asked, poking me again.

'Because I said so.'

'OK. But I'm going to stay here because I like being squished in between two hot chicks.'

'Freak,' I laughed. 'James and Bella sitting in a tree. K - I - S - S - I - N - G...'

'Hey, he meant you too,' Bella pointed out.

'So. I've explained it numerous times. It's never gonna happen.'

'But I _love_ you,' James said in a whiney tone.

I stared at him in amazement.

'Did Jamsie just say the big "L" word?' I asked with exaggerated amazement.

'No,' he grinned. 'I said, but I _like you.'_

'I'm sure.'

'I did!' he insisted.

'Survurgure, survurgure,' I said in a tone that implied I did not believe him one bit.

'What's with the mumbo jumbo?'

'It's avegivoguv,' Bella said proudly, looking happy that she had remembered the name.

'OK. Right then. Backing away...' James said slowly, leaning far away from Bella.

I head butted his shoulder.

'Get off me, freak.'

'Freak,' he repeated. 'Freak.'

'Yes, freak. Look everybody, James just learnt a new word.'

'Hey, freak is my word. I was using it long before you. Freak,' he added with a grin.

'Go look in the mirror before you start throwing big words like that around,' I said, placing my cutlery on the table and standing.

'Listen, guys - I'm gonna go study. Anyone want to come?'

'James will go,' Bella said with a flick of her hand. 'We'll stay for dessert.'

I looked to James, and he stood also, his head bopping. I glanced at him oddly and he moved his face close to mine, bobbing it.

'Freak,' I whispered. Then I turned to Ariel.

'You're not coming back, are you? To the Common Room, I mean. I guess this is goodbye.'

Ariel nodded and stood, opening her arms. I moved over and hugged her.

'Au revoir, Fleur-de-lys,' she whispered in my ear.

'Au revoir,' I grinned in reply as I drew back. 'It was great meeting you.'

'And it iz ze same here. I 'hope you will be coming to vizit one day.'

'Count on it,' I smiled, beginning to walk away. 'See you later, guys. Bye, Ariel.'

'See you, Ariel,' James added, following me.

'_Soooooooooooooo_,' he said once we were out in the corridor. 'How was your day?'

'Good,' I said, stopping. 'Is this that galleon you told me about? I forgot to look for it the other day.'

'Yep,' he said proudly, crouching down beside the gold coin. I kneeled down next to him. I gave it a little push. It was indeed stuck.

'How many people fell for it?' I asked.

'Quite a few. Not many anymore, though. Everyone knows about it.' 

I nodded and stood. We started back up the corridor.

'But no, Lily. I can simply not allow you to dance with the potato who's skin is purple because of the orange inside and therefore let the monkeys win over the loss on the roof. It would appear monstrous of me to even consider the mushrooms as a source of light for the photograph's podiatrist,' he said out of the blue. I laughed, leaning my head on his shoulder.

'You don't understand. The fish have to swim to the left because those in the sky like falling up with the rain, though falling out of my chair to the ceiling did hurt my feet when I landed on the front of my back. It was too sunny to dance while the moon masked the sun.'

We both laughed quietly and looked up at each other at the same time. 

'Freak,' we both said, grinning from ear to ear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bit short and pointless, but meh. *bounces up and down*

OMG guys I am so hyper. We had our faction carnival today and my house came third (out of six) *cheers loudly for Rogers* but also my second favourite house, Watkins (because its colour is yellow and I was in Pinjar which is yellow at primary school) came second! My BFF's house came first (Noogongoo. Isn't that the funniest name? *laughs insanely*) and they haven't won in 13 years *points and laughs at Noogongoo* OK you probably don't care but anyway. It was rude because I got kicked out of shot putt so I was mad. And yeah I took a camera and my friend Erin who hates having her photo taken, I kept calling out her name then taking her photo and I got her everytime so she got mad and stole my camera. But its safe now.

Alrighty, results to survey:

It was divided. Impossible to choose so I'm going to go with my leaning towards skipping to fifth year. I will finish this year and I promise it will be a really smooth transition, not just "skip to fifth year", I will make it from Lily's view and change it gradually. She will still talk occasionally about what happened in those years, and also from fifth year onwards I already have A LOT written and I can tell you it's all action packed stuff. *grins and waves around Rogers flag*

Here's a little teaser of the future:

* there's a founder's-four-prophecy-thingy related adventure (very Harry-Potter-ish)

* Dumbledore is suspended as Headmaster

* Lily goes to New York to see Joey, and a lot of bad stuff happens while she's there, AND...

* a Lily/Voldie confrontation! Yay! *does another little dance, still waving the Rogers flag*

Dude, I am so sunburnt. *rubs forehead and grimaces* Damn sunny weather on sports day. When it was supposed to rain. *shakes fist*

OK, I'll go and run around and get rid of my hyper-ness, now.

SezZie 

P.S: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!!!

P.P.S: Amelia Bedelia, have you updated yet? *glances suspiciously @ Amelia Bedelia*


	16. Another Year Behind Us

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ Another Year Behind Us ~*~

_~When the last silver moon rises_

_~And the final suns sets into the skies..._

_~When the last child stops playing_

_~And forever rests its tired eyes..._

_~When the last bird takes to the wing_

_~And doesn't whistle as it flies..._

_~When it sings its final melodic note_

_~And its dampened spirit never dries..._

_~When the last colours start to falter_

_~And the world begins to grey..._

_~When the last deer closes its eyes_

_~And farewells its final day..._

_~When the last friend gives up its hope_

_~And its heart begins to fray..._

_~When the last mule doesn't dig in its feet_

_~And bluntly demand to stay... _

_~When the last wolf abandons its hunt_

_~And gives up howling in the night... _

_~When the last star refuses to glisten_

_~And cast its golden light..._

_~When the last heroic soldier falls_

_~And gives in without a fight..._

_~When the last idol is no longer admired_

_~And the last divinity isn't dight..._

_~That's when. _

Another year had passed and I was facing the end of my second year at Hogwarts. In a sense it had felt like a long time, but it also seemed that had been only yesterday that I was hopping onto the Hogwarts Express for the first time, feeling scared and alone.

I looked at my life now and everything was so different to back then. I had made a lot of new friends, and lost one along the way. 

Although Joey and I had vowed that we would be friends forever, I knew that things would never be the same. 

I now knew that my father was not only a wizard, but one of the worst ones alive. I knew I was a Fury, and part of a prophecy that no one fully understood. 

And then there was Firregaze. 

I often sat alone, just wondering where he was. The dreams were recurring; it had been a long time since I had received a good night's sleep as a result of them. For the short time I had spent with him I had felt like he was my other half, and without him a piece of me was missing.

As a little girl I had always wanted a twin. Someone I could share my every thought with. A best friend that was _always_ there, even at night time, when the imagination can get carried away. I'd fall asleep imagining what she'd look like. Her name would be Amber, and she'd have blue-green eyes. Strawberry blonde hair that wasn't quite like mine but not mum's, either. It was the fantasy that someone so perfectly right for me was out there that helped me sleep at night.

Sure, I wasn't an only child like Joey. I had Petunia and Dale. But as great as Dale was, he didn't always have time for a kid eight years younger than him. Once upon a time Petunia had been a good sister to me, but I think that all dissolved when she went to school. Leaving me feeling as completely and utterly alone as Joey.

It was one of the main reasons we were so close, I think. We needed each other. Joey was a lone, troubled child that had grown up with her parents constantly fighting. I pretty much grew up without a father, and from my seventh birthday onwards, without a brother. That left me with a sister who hated my guts and a mother that had to work day in day out to support us. Joey and I became each other's twin. Without each other, I don't know how we would have pulled through.

Sometimes I forgot she was gone. I'd pull out some parchment to write her a letter and be half way through when I realised that she was in New York. Everything had to wait until I was home and could use the post.

But with Firregaze it was different. He wasn't human and I had loved it. Animals don't argue. They don't dump you for someone cooler. They don't lie, or call you names behind your back. They don't hurt you emotionally, and they don't just pack up and leave for New York without notice. Or so I had thought. Firregaze _had left, and I wanted him back._

It was like he was punishing me, but I had no idea what I had done. During the day it was fine; life was full enough of distractions. It was the night that haunted me. So silent, so empty. So much time to think. 

And think was something I did not want to do. 

I love my friends so much. The way they supported me through that year was amazing. As frustrated as they became, not once did their loyalty towards me falter.

So why was it so hard for me to tell them the _other_ thing that kept me awake at night?

I don't think I'll ever really know why. But I was scared. I was so goddamn scared that if I told them, I wouldn't have them anymore. And I didn't want to be alone. Ever. Because that was what I feared the most. Being alone, without a friend in the world.

I found myself constantly comparing myself to him. As the severity of his acts began to increase I slowly became convinced that I wasn't like him. But I was still full of doubts. What if I was like him? What if I grew up to be like him? What if?

I had always hated that question. What if. Stupid, pointless questions that are usually without answer or irrelevant but always seem to form in the back of your mind. And they drive you mad.

The fear he provoked in me was incredible. But it wasn't the same as everyone else, who were afraid of what he did. Of being killed. Of having their lives ripped apart. No. I was afraid of something entirely different. I was afraid of being him.

One person that made me forget my fears was James. It was unbelievable, the way we connected. We weren't the same age, not even the same sex. And yet somehow it had just happened, he and I. I hadn't planned it that way, but I was closer to James than I was to Bella or Hilary. Maybe even Joey. I felt comfortable telling him things I didn't tell anybody else. And as close as he and Sirius were, James and I were on a completely different level. Sure, those two probably knew things about each other that I didn't. But James and I found it easy to talk in a way I know boys just don't. It's not in their nature. And the last few weeks of the year brought us closer than ever, owing to Sirius's new friends.

He never cared about what people thought. So many people gave us a hard time about being friends, and James lost more than one girlfriend over the matter. But he didn't care at all. 

And I was glad he didn't, because losing one friend was enough.

* * *

It was the second last day of term, when Firregaze returned. Bella and Hilary and I were basking outside in the warm weather, celebrating the end of our final exam. The boys were still stuck in Transfiguration, James no doubt passing with flying colours. Because of their non-presence we had invaded Boganville and were lazing happily beneath the beech tree. 

Hilary was leaning against the trunk and Bella and I were on our stomachs. 

We'd been there for about half an hour, doing nothing in particular, when a dove fluttered down from the tree and landed in front of me.

At first I had just blinked, pleasantly surprised at seeing the beautiful bird looking back at me. But then an unexplainable excitement bubbled up inside my stomach, just as the dove morphed into a cat.

'Firregaze!' I breathed, extending a hand to touch him; hesitantly, as if he may disappear at any moment. When he mewed in response I sat up and pulled him into a tight hug.

'Where the hell have you been?' asked Bella, moving closer.

'Oh my god,' I said, barely believing it. 'Where did you go?'

When I let him go, he took a step back and shook himself indignantly. I laughed.

'Don't worry. We all just missed you a lot.'

'Well I'm sorry, but it was unavoidable.'

I blinked.

'What the…?' Bella breathed, gaping at him.

'Did he just speak?' Hilary asked in a shocked voice.

'So surprised?' replied Firregaze. 

I stared at him, wide eyed.

'You've never spoken before.'

'I know,' he said. 'Because I couldn't.'

'How come you can now?' Bella asked, still bemused.

'Humans ask so many questions,' Firregaze said, arching his back before coming to rub against my side. 'That's one of the downsides of being able to talk. Everyone expects you to talk all the time.'

'I'm sorry,' I said dazedly. 

'I'm sorry for disappearing,' he replied evenly, looking me in the eyes.

'And I'm sorry, but I have to ask, where exactly did you go?' Hilary asked.

Firregaze slowly sat down, his eyes not leaving mine.

'I went on a pilgrimage to a haven far away from here. To see the nymphs.'

'Nymphs?'

'Yes. Nymphs. Fairy-like creatures that love all things nature and -'

'I know what nymphs are,' I interrupted.

'Then why did you question it? Humans are extremely odd.'

'You're odd, that's what.'

'Can I tell my story now?'

'Go ahead.'

'Thanks ever so.'

I smiled. If I had ever imagined Firregaze talking, this would have been the way. He definitely was a daemon with attitude.

'I went to see the nymphs. And the nymphs… they taught me how to talk.'

'The nymphs taught you how to talk?' I asked doubtfully.

'Sort of. It is rather hard to explain. I doubt you would be able to comprehend it.'

'He can talk,' Hilary whispered disbelievingly.

'I believe we've established that fact,' Firregaze said, licking his paw. 

'The nymphs are very powerful when they put their mind to it. And every ten years or so they hold a conference where everyone goes and complains and they try and fix it, yadda yadda yadda.'

'And you wanted to talk. And they just agreed to this?' I asked doubtfully, scratching him behind the ears.

He shot me a dirty look.

'Despite what you may think, it is actually a terrible curse, being able to talk. And I made a great sacrifice in doing what I did.'

'Whatever,' Bella said, rolling her eyes. 'But you haven't told us _why_ you got a voice. Especially since you seem to not have wanted one.'

'Because you need me, that's why,' he said lazily.

'We do?' Hilary asked, eyebrows raised.

'Not you, no. But Lily and Bella do. And Potter, and Black.'

'Ohhhh, I see. More top secret prophecy stuff,' Hilary said dramatically.

'The prophecy is not to be taken lightly.'

'How do you know so much about the prophecy?' Bella asked.

'I am much more intelligent than you may think,' Firregaze said stiffly. 'Don't underestimate me.'

'Somehow I don't think anything you could do right now would surprise me. Not after all this.'

Firregaze nuzzled my hand and gave it a small lick.

'You have been sad, while I was away,' he said quietly.

'I know,' I replied. 'So have you.'

He said nothing for a moment, his green eyes boring into mine.

'And we weren't doing much for each other in being so,' he said eventually. 'I suppose you've noticed the effect our emotions have on one another.'

'How does that work?' I asked. 'I never understood it.'

'That's just the way things are,' was his reply. He stood and stretched again before morphing into a fox. 'This might seem a bit soon after my return, but I have a few things to do, if you would excuse me.'

I nodded and patted his head, and he gave me a loving lick on the back of my hand.

I watched him trotting away for a little before looking down at my watch.

'The boys should be out in around ten minutes. Do you want to go up there and meet them?' I asked dazedly.

'Do we have to?' Hilary sighed.

'Alright,' said Bella. 'Pull me up.'

I took her arm and pulled her up, then offered a hand to Hilary.

'Thanks,' she said, getting up and dusting her clothes off. 

By the time we had trudged all the way up to the castle, the boys were being let out. 

'Oi, James!' I called. He turned around and smiled.

'Hi.'

'Hey,' he replied.

'How did you do?' I asked him.

'How do you think?' he grinned. 'It was a cinch.'

'For you it was,' Remus grumbled, coming up beside us.

'Aw, did poor little Remmington have some trouble with the test?' I cooed sympathetically, pinching his cheek. He ducked away from my hand. 

'Not as much as Peter,' he said quietly, just as the mentioned approached.

'Hi, Lily,' he said.

'Hey, Pete,' I smiled. 

'Ahem,' said Bella loudly.

'Hi Belle, hi Hilary,' Peter said, rolling his eyes.

'Lily! Over here!' 

I turned around to find a face to match the voice. Sirius Black was leaning against the doorframe.

'And why should I?' 

'Please,' he said, giving me a pointed look.

'If you'd give me a reason, Black, maybe I'd consider it.'

Although Sirius hadn't done anything to me personally, I was annoyed at him from what I had heard.

'If you had the brain, Evans,' he drawled back, jokingly. But I could see that the boys weren't in a joking mood when it involved Sirius.

'That was a real nice one, Black. Bet it took you all day to think of it. Real smooth,' James shot at him.

For a moment, I thought I could see a look of hurt cross Sirius's face. But I blinked and it was gone.

'No need to get your knickers in a knot, Potter. I won't lay a finger on your girlfriend. I just want to talk to her, then you can have her back straight away.'

James and Sirius just stood there, glaring at each other. We were the only group left in the corridor. 

Feeling things heat up, I walked over to Sirius, casting a look back at the others. When I was near enough, I grabbed his robes and pulled him into the Transfiguration classroom.

'This better be good,' I said briskly.

'What have I ever done to you, Lily?'

'Up until today, nothing. I've been trying to stay objective when it comes to you. But after that little display back there, I'm finding it hard.'

'I'm sorry, OK? You knew I was joking.'

'Yes Sirius, I did. You're always joking. But everyone else isn't. And sometimes people get hurt. You may not mean it, but they do.'

With that I turned to leave, but Sirius stopped me.

'Wait, please.'

'What?' I sighed.

'I know Bella and James are your best friends, but please, just listen to me for a moment.'

'He was your best friend, too. But I don't know what happened there.'

'I don't know why I even bothered trying to talk to you,' he groaned. 

'Neither do I. Why did you?'

'Because you're smart. People-smart. I don't know. You're just good that way. And you're not like Bella, who's like a dog with a bone. Or James, who is so hard to gain respect from. You give everyone a chance. It gets you hurt sometimes, but you don't try to change.'

He took a deep breath, then continued.

'I was jealous of you, Lily. How you and James are. But I can see exactly what he sees in you. And you deserve his respect a lot more than I do.'

'Well that was deep and meaningful coming from a guy,' I said with amusement. 

'You know why they all hate me, don't you?'

'No,' I said, sitting down on a desk. 'I can understand maybe why they're mad at you, but if you think they hate you then you're severely mistaken.'

'It's not what you think.'

'I don't know what I think.'

'I admit I am at fault here, but it's been blown out of proportion.'

'Elaborate.'

'It's a long story.'

'We have lunch and a free afternoon. I think there's time.'

Sirius nodded and took another deep breath.

'It all began with Dee. I like Bella, but she must have known from the start that the age difference was going to be a problem. And I've got nothing against her, I still think she's a great person and I'd love to be friends with her. But just nothing more. So when Dee asked me out, I said yes.'

'While you were still going out with Bella?' I asked, raising an eyebrow.

'OK, I admit that was stupid. But I had every intention of dropping her before she found out. It just didn't work that way. As it was to be expected, she got upset. James let her know for me, because... I don't know. I've never been able to do that in person,' he shrugged. 'It just makes me feel like such a bad guy. But anyway, James doesn't like Dee. And because he's friends with Bella, too, he got annoyed when he found out I had said yes to Dee while I was still going out with her. So when he went to tell Bella, they probably had a big bitch session about me. James isn't like that, but he was pretty annoyed with me. He's always being the good guy, so he hates stuff like what I'd done.'

'Do you blame him?'

'No. I should have let Bella go first. But I didn't, and I can't change that.'

I nodded.

'Where do the fourth years come into this?'

'I've always been friends with a few of them. It's like you girls and us. Except it was pretty much just me. James and that were acquainted, but I knew them a bit better. Anyway, after my argument with James, I went and hung with them. Once. I thought it would be best if I steered clear of James for a bit.'

'Somehow I don't think James would be as annoyed as he is over that.'

'There's a bit more. This is where I went wrong again. The guys that I were mucking around with like pranking people, too. So out of spite, I took James's cloak.'

'I can't really say anything about that; I've done it once or twice.'

'Yeah, but you didn't expose it to a group of other people. I didn't tell them it was James's, but they still know that I have access to a cloak from somewhere.'

'So let me guess; James found out and got even more annoyed?' I asked.

'Pretty much. So, again, to stay out of his way, I stayed with the fourth years again. Thus him thinking I've traded him and the boys in for a better deal.'

'Sirius, why did you tell me all this?'

'I'm not asking you to sort this all out, Lily. But I just wanted to tell _someone_ the whole story, and not be judged automatically. James has a lot of power in this school. He doesn't do it deliberately, but people just follow him.'

'You're not without followers yourself, Mr Black,' I said, trying not to smile. He laughed.

'Hell yeah. An army of lovesick school girls. We're gonna kick ass.'

'Never underestimate a woman, Mr Black.'

'I'll write it down.'

'This doesn't mean you're off the hook, I hope you realise. I am still most upset with you for vexing my friends.'

'I deserve it,' he shrugged, grinning. 'And all that back there... I don't want it.'

'Nobody ever does. It's a strange thing, the human mind.'

'You got that right.'

I looked out the window.

'Do you reckon they're still out there?' Sirius asked.

'Nah. They've probably dubbed me as a traitor, too. Either that or you're a corruptive beep.'

'A beep, huh?'

'Yeah, a beep. Sirius, only you can fix this, you know.'

'I know.'

* * *

'Why hello there, traitor.'

I opened my eyes sleepily.

'I knew it!' I laughed. 'That's exactly what I told Sirius you'd call me!'

'What happened in there?' 

'Wouldn't you like to know, Mr Potter?'

'Yeah,' he said, sitting down next to me. 

I was back outside lounging under the beech tree. I had been reading a book, but then I'd decided to get some shut eye. 

'We all reckoned you two were like making out or something,' James laughed.

'Totally.'

'What corruptive thoughts did he place in your head?'

'If I told you I'd have to kill you,' I grinned.

'I knew it, you've been a double agent all along. Where's the goods?'

I shook my head, still grinning.

'Nah-uh. I ain't telling you nothin'.'

'I'll have to tickle you,' he warned.

'OK, OK... they're up that tree,' I said, pointing to the tallest tree on the Hogwarts grounds.

'Damn,' he said, laying back and closing his eyes.

'Firregaze came back today.'

'He did? I'll bet that makes you a lot happier.'

'Yep. And you're never going guess what else.'

'What?'

'He can talk.'

'Talk?' James asked doubtfully. 'How…?'

'I don't completely understand it myself. I'm sure he would explain it to you if you asked him, but there's no guarantee that you'll grasp the idea.'

'Well, how's that. A talking daemon.'

'Mmm,' was all I could say.

'Where is he now?'

'I don't know. He said he had things to do.'

'People to see,' James finished, laughing.

'Mm-mm,' I said, as a not-so-bad-looking guy walked past.

James opened an eye.

'Lily's found a bit of eye candy, huh?'

'Hell yeah. Who is he?'

'A poof.'

'A poof?'

'He's fully gay,' James said, rolling over onto his stomach. 'He uses hair gel.'

I rolled my eyes.

'James, if your idea of a gay guy is someone who takes the time to make their hair neat in the morning then you'd be just about the only straight one.'

'Hey, it's not my fault that this prickly bush is unresponsive to treatment.'

'What's his name?' I pressed, watching him talk to a girl a few metres away. 

'Brad,' he replied lazily. 'Hufflepuff, third year.'

Just as James said this, Brad looked over at me and smiled. I smiled back. James pulled a face.

'What?' I asked, looking at him.

'Hi Brad,' he teased in a girly voice. 

'Like you've never checked someone out before,' I said.

'Yeah, but I'm a guy. And you're just... Lily. It's not like you.'

'Despite what you think, I am a girl. I have had a boyfriend before. And I do oogle.'

'Oogle,' James snorted. 'Oogle.'

He closed his eyes again.

'And the only thing you'll ever do is oogle, Miss Evans, because he is a player.'

'And you aren't?' I huffed.

'Not like him, no. Trust me on this one.'

'I never trust anyone who says trust me.'

'You trust everyone,' he said quietly. 

I looked at him, and he had his eyes open again, looking back at me.

'Not everyone,' I said, looking down. 'I...'

'You give everyone a chance.'

'And look where it gets me,' I sighed.

'It's not a bad thing. It's a good way to be.'

'Not when it gets you hurt,' I murmured.

'You can't appreciate real love until you've been burned,' he replied.

I laughed.

'You're different,' I said softly. 

'I know. The guys can't decide whether I'm cool or weird,' he answered, looking up at the sky.

'That's not what I meant. Most guys... I don't know. You can actually hold a deep and meaningful conversation,' I laughed, shrugging. 'But just all round... you're different.'

'You know, everybody has weaknesses.'

'Mm-hmm.'

'And have you ever noticed how someone's weaknesses are usually their strengths, too?'

'No,' I admitted.

'Think. A lot of people's weakness is their heart. The ones they love. But then it's their strength, too, because in order for that to be a weak point their love has to be so strong...'

'That,' I began, 'was a very meaningful and sappy thought.'

'You're right. Very un-boyish. I'm sorry. Let me correct myself; my strength is me. I am strong. I can knock the living daylights out of people, therefore I am strong. I have no weakness.'

'That was very macho. I congratulate you.'

'Why thank you,' I grinned.

We sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before I spoke.

I shuffled closer and rested my head on James's chest.

'You know, it would be silly to throw a friendship away over a silly little argument,' I said quietly.

'Mm,' was all James said, and I felt the noise deep inside his chest.

'I'm not going to tell you what he said to me, but I think you should go talk to him. He's hurting as much as you are. And don't tell me you're not, because I know you, James Potter. You miss Sirius as much as he misses you and this is stupid.'

James's hand came up to play with my hair.

'I'll talk to him tonight,' he sighed.

'Promise?'

'Promise.'

And I hoped he would. Because over the next few years, we would need to stick together. More than ever.

* * *

'I guess I'll be seeing you next year, Evans?' drawled Malfoy, coming up behind me, a grey owl perched on his shoulder and a black trunk at his feet.

'I'm coming back, if that's what you mean,' I shot back, looking at him coolly.

'Get lost, Malfoy,' Bella said boldly. 'We don't need to hear it.'

'Shut up, wog. I don't need to answer to you.'

'Do you feel special, Malfoy? Having such a foul vocabulary? I'll bet it makes you feel real important, calling people names like that.'

Malfoy grabbed my wrists and twisted them downwards, his cold eyes locking mine. I was in pain, but refused to cry out.

'Let her go,' Bella growled.

But he only yanked me closer.

'Let me tell you something, Evans,' he whispered. 'I'm a lot more important than you'll ever be. Your kind have no place in this world. So just leave. Leave, and never come back.

I tried to pull free, but his hold was too strong.

'You don't scare me,' I hissed.

'Oh, I think otherwise. You're scared, but you're playing the hero. Well believe me, Evans. In this story, the hero will fail.'

'Let her GO!' growled a masculine voice, and all of a sudden James had lunged at Malfoy, and the grip on my arms loosened. I pulled free, rubbing my bruised wrists.

'You don't learn, do you?' James snarled, shoving Malfoy, hard. The owl on his shoulder took to the air with a loud squawk.

'And I'm not the only one,' Malfoy shot back icily, shoving James in return.

'James, don't,' I pleaded, trying to push them apart.

Malfoy pushed me aside easily and I was thrown to the ground.

'You leave her out of this! What has she ever done to you?'

'Existed,' Malfoy spat, wiping blood from the side of his mouth.

'Wha's goin' on 'ere?' boomed Hagrid, coming over. He offered me one of his giant sized hands and pulled me to my feet.

'Nothing, Hagrid,' I said quietly.

His warm, beatle black eyes moved between James and Malfoy, who were still both looking at each other with animosity.

'You two better be stayin' out of trouble, now,' he said. 'See yeh next term, Lily.'

'Goodbye, Hagrid,' I replied.

There was silence as Hagrid left.

When he was gone, Malfoy picked up his trunk. 

'One day you'll learn your lesson, Evans. And I will be the one to teach it to you. The only question is when,' he said maliciously, backing away.

'Never,' I said softly. I moved to stand next to Bella, meeting Malfoy's glare before he turned and jumped on the train.

'That's when.'

Phew! That's all for second year! *wipes sweat of brow* The next chapter will be in a new story again. (The World Through The Eyes Of A Muggle Born partIII)

Anyway, sorry for the delay with this chapter! I've been really flat chat lately.

1. It's end of term. I've been studying for exams and such.

2. I had a dance recital today. (Last period! It was so hot!)

3. I had a drama performance.

4. I've been trying really really hard to complete my website make over so I can get it up again.

5. Yesterday I had to cook tea and do homework and stuff.

So yeah, they're all my excuses.

Since nobody else was very helpful on the matter, can somebody tell me how the hell I got 100% on a science exam for which I did not study? I am honestly confused. I mean, I'm good, but not that good. :D (acing an exam had its down sides, though. It meant I had to spend a free period taking the second level test, which was extremely rude. And I don't get my results for that back until next term!!)

I'm very worried, now. Next term I have Home Economics, and I am like the worst cook in the world. It's a bit of a joke at school. If we're doing something involving food, everyone's like "Make sure Sarah isn't anywhere near it," or if something's burnt or something everyone's like "Sarah wasn't involved, was she?" This one time I was making a cake and the recipe said 100 grams of butter and I read the scales wrong and ended up with 100 ounces. (That's like ten times as much) Yikes! I have a horrible feeling I am going to fail.

OK all you French people reading, I've got a favour to ask. Since I have been told numerous times that my French makes no sense whatsoever, I need translations of the following two, if you please, so I can correct them:__

_* When you realise someone never cared about you, you begin to wonder if you really matter to anyone at all._

_* Give me a stick so I can go beat the crap out of Filch._

It would be appreciated. And now Ariel is gone so that'll be all the French for now. I think I'll go back to my Italian, which actually makes sense_. _But it's just my luck that I have French and not Italians reading my story. =)__

Thanks bunches!

Cheers n Beers,

                          SezZie

PS: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

I know I'm really slack and don't thank everyone anymore, but there's so many of you! So I'll say it again as a whole group: THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!


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